Observatório do Valongo

Gazing up at the night sky, have you ever wondered about the secrets held within its twinkling expanse? Here at the Observatório do Valongo, perched atop Morro da Conceição in Rio de Janeiro, those secrets are unveiled. The Observatório do Valongo isn’t just a building. It’s a portal to the cosmos, a place where the past whispers to the present. Founded in 1881 as the Astronomical Observatory of the Escola Polytechnica, its initial purpose was to provide practical lessons in astronomy and geodesy. Its first home was beside the Santo Antônio Convent, on Morro de Santo Antônio. The Observatório do Valongo’s journey began with the arrival of a remarkable instrument in 1907. The Cooke & Sons Refractor Telescope, the largest in Brazil at the time, equipped for astrophotography, marked a turning point. In the 1920s, the observatory moved to its present location on Morro da Conceição, formerly the site of Chácara do Valongo, owned by the Costa Barros family. The observatory was initially called Observatório do Morro do Vallongo. A period of stagnation followed the death of director Manuel Amoroso Costa in 1928. The sole astronomy teacher, Orozimbo do Nascimento, continued until his passing in 1936. The Escola Politécnica then dissolved the astronomy and geodesy department, leaving the Observatório do Valongo abandoned. A revival began in 1956 with the arrival of astronomers Mário Ferreira Dias and Alércio Moreira Gomes from the National Observatory. Joined by Luís Eduardo da Silva Machado in 1958, they established the Astronomy Undergraduate Course at the National Faculty of Philosophy, with the Observatório do Valongo as its practical training ground. This marked the beginning of a restoration of the building and its instruments. In 1967, the observatory became part of UFRJ. In 2002, it achieved the status of a UFRJ unit, housing the undergraduate astronomy program. The graduate program followed in 2003. The Observatório do Valongo stands as a testament to the enduring pursuit of knowledge. It continues to inspire generations of astronomers, inviting them to explore the universe’s endless wonders.