Townsend Observatory

Townsend Observatory sits within the Arts Centre of Christchurch, New Zealand, home to a historic telescope with a remarkable story of destruction and revival.

About Townsend Observatory

The observatory is owned and administered by the University of Canterbury. It traces back to James Townsend, one of the original Canterbury Pilgrims who arrived in 1850, who donated an equatorial telescope to the college in 1891. A dedicated biological laboratory and observatory tower opened in March 1896 to house it.

History

At the heart of the observatory is a historic Cooke 6-inch refractor telescope. The building collapsed in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and the telescope itself was later damaged by a bulldozer during rubble clearing. Restoration work began in 2016 under Graeme Kershaw and was completed in 2022 by Quentin Rowe, and the instrument was renamed the Townsend Teece Telescope in recognition of that effort. Observing sessions resumed on 5 May 2023, over a decade after the quake.

Telescopes & research

The restored Cooke 6-inch refractor is used for public viewing nights, giving visitors a rare chance to look through a telescope with more than a century of history behind it.

Location & getting there

The observatory is part of the Arts Centre of Christchurch, in the city's central cultural precinct on New Zealand's South Island.

Visiting Townsend Observatory

The observatory opens on clear Friday evenings during winter, weather permitting, with an entry fee (around $20 for adults and $5 for children as of recent reopening). Check the University of Canterbury's website before visiting, as sessions depend on the weather.

See your named star from here

Looking through a restored 19th-century telescope is a memorable way to connect with the night sky, including the exact spot marked by your own named star. Browse the star catalogue to find its coordinates.