- ob|serv|a|to|ry
- ob|serv|a|to|ry «uhb ZUR vuh TAWR ee, -TOHR-», noun, plural -ries.1. a place or building with a telescope or other equipment for observing the stars and other heavenly bodies: »
The Greek astronomer Hipparchus built an observatory on the island of Rhodes…Early observatories also existed in the Orient, as shown by a stone tower built A.D. 647 in Kyongju, Korea (Helmut Abt).
2. a place or building for observing facts or happenings of nature: »a meteorological observatory.
3. a high place or building giving a wide view: »I never knew of a ship sailing…but I went up to the State House cupola or to the observatory on some friend's house…and there watched the departure (George W. Curtis).
4. an artificial satellite designed to gather information about the earth, sun, or other heavenly body: »Observatories are larger satellites,…either carrying many (up to 30) small experiments or a few heavy (up to 1000 lb.) complex experiments. An observatory weighs from 1000 to 4000 lb. (John E. Naugle).
Useful english dictionary. 2012.