Observatoire de Paris - PSL is a public institution responsible for fundamental and applied research, higher education and the sharing of knowledge in disciplines related to the sciences of the Universe, astronomy and time metrology.
Exploring and understanding the Universe. Teaching and training. Sharing knowledge.
About Paris-PSL Observatory
Founded in 1667, the Observatoire de Paris has been a center of innovation and discovery in astronomy for over 350 years. With 750 researchers and teacher-researchers, engineers, technicians and administrative staff, the establishment conducts research on its 3 campuses in astrophysics, physics, engineering and the metrology of time and space. Its work combines theory, numerics, experimentation, ground-based and space-based observations, and instrumental development.
Paris Observatory produces French legal time, ephemerides of the Sun, Moon and solar system bodies, and operates state-of-the-art radio telescopes at Nançay. It offers academic training (Masters, PhD), training for the general public and teachers, and class sponsorship. It is a founding member of the Université Paris Sciences et Lettres.
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Creation
1667
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Campus
Paris, Meudon, Nançay (France)
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Trainings
6 degree
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Research
6 research and/or support units
News
News from the labs
3 July 2026
A system of at least six exoplanets revealed after ten years of observations
Administrative news
26 June 2026
UAI Doctoral Prize 2025: an international honour for Antonin Wargnier
Highlights
24 June 2026
The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, a messenger from the far reaches of our galaxy
Highlights
First light in the laboratory for the French AIRS instrument on the ARIEL mission
Under testing since March 2026 at the Paris Observatory - PSL, the French AIRS spectrometer for the future ARIEL telescope has successfully reached a crucial...
Administrative news
The Paris Observatory - PSL welcomes the selection of the Plasma Observatory mission by ESA
The Paris Observatory - PSL welcomes the recommendation issued on June 11, 2026, by the ESA Science Program Committee in support of the Plasma Observatory...
Highlights
France becomes a full member of the SKA Observatory
France has officially become the 14th member state of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), the intergovernmental organisation building and...
Highlights
First ever live observation of the rotation of a planetary nursery
An international team led by a CNRS researcher from the Paris Observatory - PSL at the Laboratory of Instrumentation and Research in Astrophysics has...
Highlights
SKAO: the French astrophysics community rallies behind the world’s largest radio observatory
From 19 to 21 May 2026, the French astrophysics community gathered at the Meudon campus of the Paris Observatory - PSL, for the conference ‘SKA: an...
Research
Observatoire de Paris-PSL is a unique research establishment, in terms of its history, reputation and diversity of research fields, as well as its ability to initiate innovative, multidisciplinary research.
The establishment is home to around a quarter of France’s total workforce in astronomy and astrophysics. The diversity of profiles and research themes creates an ecosystem that is unique in France, enabling the development of excellence in both fundamental and applied research, in emblematic fields and at the crossroads of disciplines.
Library
The Collection d’Excellence in Astronomy and Astrophysics, associated with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, is one of the finest astronomy-physics libraries in the world, and a service entirely dedicated to research.
Joint services
A team dedicated to enhancing the attractiveness of the Paris Observatory and supporting research, teaching and the dissemination of knowledge.
Under the authority of the President, the General Services Manager steers and coordinates these services to ensure, in liaison with the establishment’s scientific departments and services, efficient management of resources and projects, while fostering an environment conducive to staff development.