Louis-Théophile Moreux observatory
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Louis-Théophile Moreux observatory stands in Bourges, France, a legacy of the astronomer, meteorologist and priest who founded it in 1907.
About Louis-Théophile Moreux observatory
Formally the Observatoire astronomique et météorologique de l'abbé Louis-Théophile Moreux, the site is located at 22 Rue Ranchot in Bourges. It was founded by Théophile Moreux (1867-1954), who was ordained as a priest in 1891 before turning to scientific study.
History
Moreux used the observatory to study the surface features of the Moon and Mars, and he examined Percival Lowell's claims about the habitability of Mars, a major scientific debate of the era. He also worked alongside the celebrated French astronomer Camille Flammarion. A weather station at the site recorded daily data from 1913 to 1950. During the Second World War, Moreux was briefly imprisoned by German occupying forces in 1943 for his criticism of Hitler. His legacy is honoured with a crater on Mars named in his memory.
Location & getting there
The observatory is located in Bourges, in the Europe region of France.
See your named star from here
Moreux's own scientific curiosity about the Moon and Mars mirrors the excitement of pointing a telescope at your own patch of sky. Name a star or browse the star catalogue to find coordinates you could explore from a site like this.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
