Observatory House

Observatory House takes its name from the 18th-century observatory that William and Caroline Herschel built on Windsor Street in Slough, England - a site where Herschel, discoverer of Uranus, carried out some of his later work. The original observatory is long gone, and the name today belongs to a modern office building on the same site that serves as the headquarters of Slough Borough Council.

About Observatory House

Observatory House is named after the historic 18th-century observatory established there by the astronomers William and Caroline Herschel, in Windsor Street, Slough, England. William Herschel, famed for his 1781 discovery of Uranus, and his sister Caroline, herself an accomplished astronomer, worked from this site during part of their careers.

History

The original Herschel observatory building was eventually demolished, but its name was carried forward and reapplied to a modern office block built on the same plot. That building now serves as the headquarters of Slough Borough Council, making Observatory House today an administrative site rather than a working observatory.

Location & getting there

Observatory House stands in Slough, Berkshire, England, on the site of the Herschels' former observatory.

Visiting Observatory House

As the headquarters of Slough Borough Council, the building is a municipal office rather than a public observatory or visitor attraction, so there are no telescopes or stargazing facilities on site today.

See your named star from here

The Herschels spent their careers precisely charting the positions of stars - the same principle behind the coordinates on a Star Register certificate. While Observatory House itself no longer houses a telescope, you can still name a star in their honour or browse the catalogue, then find a working observatory near you to view it.