Carter Observatory

Descriptive Data

TypeAgencyParallel NameSpace Place at Carter ObservatoryTe Ara Whānui ki te RangiOther NamesSpace PlaceDate Range1938-presentDescriptionThe Wellington Philosophical Society held a meeting on 22 August 1910 where it was decided:

1. That an Astronomical Section of the Wellington Philosophical Society be formed.
2. That the object of the Section be the establishment of an Observatory in or about Wellington, and the promotion of astronomical subjects generally.
3. That a fund be established for promoting the objects of the Carter bequest and for rendering it available as soon as possible.

An observatory to house the telescope on Botanic Garden land was completed by July 1912. Wellington City Council purchased the equatorial telescope from the Meeanee Observatory in December 1923. It was housed in a temporary building in the Botanic Gardens, known as the Wellington City Observatory and the telescope was known as the Municipal Telescope.

Charles Rooking Carter left the residue of his estate to fund an observatory and in 1938, under the Carter Observatory Act the land, building and telescope were transferred to the Carter Observatory Board. The Carter Observatory was built in approximately the same position as the Wellington City Observatory in 1940.

The Carter Observatory has always been a private (as opposed to government) organisation. The Board has full control of all property and the ability to determine the vision and future of the Observatory provided it does so in what it believes to be the interests of astronomy. For many years the bulk of the Observatory's programmes were funded by the government.

Observatory staff carried out collaborative research with colleagues from around the world and published. The Observatory now offers distance learning courses in astronomy and is an education provider registered with NZQA.

The planetarium, run by the Wellington Planetarium Society, was relocated to the Carter Observatory in 1991, as a consequence of the redevelopment of City Square. (It had previously been located in what is now the City Gallery).Internal StructuresSince 1 April 2010 the Wellington Museums Trust has managed the Carter Observatory by agreement with
Wellington City Council which includes the Carter Observatory collection.

Controlling Agency or Organisation

Controlling Agency or OrganisationWellington Museums TrustControlling Agency or Organisation Date Range2010-

Relationships

Related Heritage SiteCarter ObservatoryRelated PlaceBotanic Garden Observatories

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Carter Observatory