astronomical observatory, any structure containing telescopes and auxiliary instruments with which to observe celestial objects. Observatories can be classified on the basis of the part of the electromagnetic spectrum in which they are designed to observe.

What type of telescopes are used in observatories?

Two major types of telescopes dominate astronomy: reflectors and refractors. Many of the world's largest telescopes are housed at observatories: The entire complex of buildings, telescopes, equipment, and staff involving scientific astronomical observations.

Why are observatories so important?

Why are space observatories important? The answer concerns twinkling stars in the night sky. To reach telescopes on Earth, light from distant objects has to penetrate Earth's atmosphere. ... Observatories located in space collect data free from the distortion of Earth's atmosphere.