The Madras Observatory owes its existence to Sir Charles Oakeley,
a former Governor of the Madras Presidency and Michael Topping
Arch, a sailor and an astronomer, who was responsible for building
it.
The
Observatory was established for promoting the knowledge of Astronomy,
Geography and Navigation in 1792 under the administration of Sir
Charles, the then Governor of Madras. William Petrie,
a noted English astronomer and member of the Government of Madras,
supported Sir Oakeley in his effort. William Petrie had
some five years earlier built an observatory at his own expense.
This observatory was probably the first modern astronomical observatory
in the East.
The 15 feet tall granite pillar weighing 10 tonnes, which carried
the original transit equipment is still preserved and has the name
of the architect, Michael Topping and the year A.D.MDCCXCII inscribed
on it. Tamil and Telugu inscriptions are carved on the pillar
so that, ' posterity may be informed a thousand years hence of
the period when the mathematical sciences were first planted by
British liberality in Asia'.
Michael
Topping who was responsible for the architectural design of the
observatory, acquired several astronomical instruments, some of
them from William Petrie. Among the instruments that he had
were achromatic refractors, astronomical clocks with compound pendulums,
and an excellent transit instrument. The program included observation
of stars, the Moon, and the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites.
The first astronomer was J Goldingham, FRS, who began recording
the meteorological observations in 1796. For more than a century,
measurements of stellar positions and brightness were made.
Some of the notable Government Astronomers who headed the observatory
during this period were Goldingham, Taylor, Jacob and Pogson.
Pogson is quite well known for the Pogson's scale in photometric
work. For thirty years from 1861, N R Pogson held the post of 'Astronomer
of Madras observatory'. He also held the post of 'Meteorological
Reporter to the Government of Madras', for many years and was assisted
in his work by his wife and daughter.
In
1899, R L Jones, Professor of Physics, Madras Presidency
College was appointed as part-time meteorologist of the Madras
observatory. The post was abolished in 1926 and a full-time Assistant
Meteorologist was appointed. At the end of the nineteenth century,
the Kodaikanal Observatory was constructed, which later subsumed
the role of the Madras observatory. From then onwards the Madras
observatory had a less significant role in weather forecasting and
time service.
The Madras Observatory survived for five more years. And in 1931,
it was reduced to the status of an ordinary Pilot Balloon Observatory.
Until then, the Madras observatory was supplying the time signal
throughout the Indian Telegraph system and issuing the Madras
Daily Weather Report, which it had commenced in October 1893.
Today all that is left of the Madras Observatory is the five
monuments that are kept in a separate enclosure for visitors
at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Nungambakkam.
Monument 1: This is a granite slab with a inscription
in Latin. It was fixed in 1792, on the southern wall
of the observatory room. It was shifted to its present
position in 1948.
Monument 2: This is a granite pillar which was erected
by Sir Charles Oakeley, about which we have also metioned
earlier in the article. On top of this pillar, there was a
12-inch altitude and azimuth instrument. The benchmark
referred to in this inscription is presumably the oldest one
in India, with reference to which all Geodetic survey measurements
were made. The inscription in Tamil, Telugu and Urdu
date back to 1792 and more or less correspond to the Latin
inscription on Monument 1.
Monuments 3 and 4: The monuments numbered 3 and 4
are granite pillars which were erected in 1860 for monitoring
a new transit circle.
Monument 5 and 6: Monuments 5 and 6 are also pillars
of which one was constructed in 1792 and the other presumably
in 1860 for the standard clocks at the observatory.
Author: Joseph Pradeep Raj R
Photographs : V Ganesan
4:30:20 AM 
The
Observatory was established for promoting the knowledge of Astronomy,
Geography and Navigation in 1792 under the administration of Sir
Charles, the then Governor of Madras. William Petrie,
a noted English astronomer and member of the Government of Madras,
supported Sir Oakeley in his effort. William Petrie had
some five years earlier built an observatory at his own expense.
This observatory was probably the first modern astronomical observatory
in the East. 
Michael
Topping who was responsible for the architectural design of the
observatory, acquired several astronomical instruments, some of
them from William Petrie. Among the instruments that he had
were achromatic refractors, astronomical clocks with compound pendulums,
and an excellent transit instrument. The program included observation
of stars, the Moon, and the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites.
The first astronomer was J Goldingham, FRS, who began recording
the meteorological observations in 1796. For more than a century,
measurements of stellar positions and brightness were made.
Some of the notable Government Astronomers who headed the observatory
during this period were Goldingham, Taylor, Jacob and Pogson.
Pogson is quite well known for the Pogson's scale in photometric
work. For thirty years from 1861, N R Pogson held the post of 'Astronomer
of Madras observatory'. He also held the post of 'Meteorological
Reporter to the Government of Madras', for many years and was assisted
in his work by his wife and daughter.
In
1899, R L Jones, Professor of Physics, Madras Presidency
College was appointed as part-time meteorologist of the Madras
observatory. The post was abolished in 1926 and a full-time Assistant
Meteorologist was appointed. At the end of the nineteenth century,
the Kodaikanal Observatory was constructed, which later subsumed
the role of the Madras observatory. From then onwards the Madras
observatory had a less significant role in weather forecasting and
time service. 
