Observatory Park - Gaithersburg, MD
Posted by: 
Ernmark
N 39° 08.203 W 077° 11.885
18S E 310021 N 4334249
Municipal Park created from the grounds of a former observatory which was used to measure the wobble of the Earth.
Waymark Code: WMNWFH
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 05/11/2015
Views: 5
This observatory, which is the centerpiece of this park, was built in 1899 & along with 5 other observatories built at the same latitude made observations of specific stars. The information was used to calculate the wobble of the Earth's axis.
The other original observatories were located in California, Ohio, Italy, Japan, & Turkestan - all at 39° 08' latitude.
These observatories continued to operate until 1982, when GPS technology rendered them obsolete, although data collected during their operation continues to be of use.
The observatory building and nearby Meridian Pier as well the 5 geodetic survey marks on-site are included in the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds are now maintained by the City of Gaithersburg as a park.
Name: Observatory Park
Street Location: 100 DeSellum Avenue
Local Municipality: Gaithersburg
State/Province, etc.: Maryland
Country: United States
Web Site: [Web Link]
Memorial/Commemoration: International Latitude Observatory
Picnic Facilities: none
Recreational Facilities:
- Walking Path
- Benches
- Wayside Informational Plaques
- Benchmark Hunting (if so inclined)
Monuments/Statues: Historic Wayside Plaques, Buildings, Geodetic Survey Marks
Art (murals/sculpture, etc.): none
Fountains: none
Ponds/Lakes/Streams/Rivers/Beach: none
Traditional Geocaches:
none
Date Established: Not listed
Special Events: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
One photo of the park that is a different view from the one on the page, and give the date and description your visit.
Add any additional information that you may have about this park. A GPSr photo is NOT required.