Harvard College Observatory

Harvard College Observatory, astronomical observatory originally founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1839 and reestablished from 1843 to 1847 by public subscription. Harvard College and the department of astronomy are responsible for the research and teaching activities in astronomy at Harvard University. The observatory has played an important role in the history of American astronomy. Prominent astronomers who worked at the observatory include William Bond and his son George Bond, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, Henrietta Leavitt, and Fred Whipple. The Harvard College Observatory operates a number of optical and radio telescopes.

The Center for Astrophysics, established in 1973, is a collaborative effort between the Harvard College Observatory and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Divisions within the center encompass research in planetary sciences, theoretical astrophysics, high-energy astrophysics, radio astronomy, solar and stellar physics, atomic and molecular physics, geoastronomy, and optical and infrared astronomy.