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Lee Observatory
Observatory in Beirut, Lebanon From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Lee Observatory is an astronomical observatory on the campus of the American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon. Opened in 1873, it is the first and the oldest observatory[clarification needed] of the Middle East in modern times.
Nowadays the observatory has only an academic role.
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History
The Lee Observatory opened in 1873, with Doctor Cornelius Van Dyck as its pioneer. The observatory was named in reference to Henry Lee, a wealthy British merchant from Manchester, who had made a significant donation to help finance its construction. The observatory had twin roles of sky gazing and serving as a meteorological station for the middle east. Several directors and assistants managed the Observatory, including Van Dyck, who pursued astronomy as a hobby and had bought most of the equipment himself, and Professors Mansour Jurdak and Owen Gingerich, who organised the "Open Nights Observatory" events and made contributions to the observatory library.
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External links
- AUB's detailed history of the Lee Observatory
- A virtual view of the Lee Observatory
- Saad Sami HADDAD alumni article on the Lee Observatory[permanent dead link]
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