William Brydone Jack Observatory, Astronomical observatory at University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada
The observatory features an octagonal tower with a rotating copper-clad roof and wooden clapboard siding on the University of New Brunswick campus.
Constructed in 1851, this structure became the first astronomical observatory in British North America and received national historic site status in 1954.
William Brydone Jack advanced scientific standards through astronomical research and precise longitude measurements while serving as a mathematics professor at Kings College.
The facility maintains the original 1849 Merz and Son telescope in its tower, while the ground floor displays historical astronomical instruments as a museum.
The observatory established correct longitude measurements for Fredericton through collaboration with Harvard University, rectifying international boundary inaccuracies.
Location: Fredericton
Official opening: 1851
Address: 5 Bailey Drive
GPS coordinates: 45.94806,-66.64056
Latest update: March 18, 2025 07:52
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