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
Administrative news
31 October 2025
Two scientists from the Paris Observatory - PSL honored at the 2025 Academy of Sciences awards ceremony
Exhibitions and information
30 October 2025
The Paris Observatory – PSL at Explor’Espace: three days to share our passion for the sky and science
News from the labs
Radio bursts reveal small-scale magnetic arches on the star AD Leonis
An international team has recorded radio emission originating from a red dwarf star with unprecedented time resolution. Astronomers from Peking University in...
Exhibitions and information
Exo4Edu: heading for implementation!
The European project Exo4Edu – Exoplanets for Education, selected by the ERASMUS+ program (2024–2027) and coordinated by the Paris Observatory – PSL, is...
Administrative news
Rodolphe Le Targat receives the Del Duca 2025 grant
In 2025, the Simone and Cino Del Duca Foundation awarded the “Sciences of the Universe and their Applications” grant to Rodolphe Le Targat of the Laboratoire...
Highlights
Anniversary: 10 years since the first detection of a gravitational wave
A few tenths of a second, ten years ago, were enough to open up a new field of astronomy: gravitational waves. The Paris Observatory - PSL has played its...
Highlights
An occultation by Ganymede on October 14, 2025
A rare event will take place on the night of October 13 to 14, 2025: Ganymede, Jupiter’s third moon, will occult a star of magnitude 7. The phenomenon will...
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.