Father James Curley of the Physics Department at Georgetown College founded the Georgetown Observatory in 1841. He chose a site on the College grounds, planned the building and supervised its construction. Overcoming numerous difficulties and delays, he saw the building finished by 1843.
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In 1928, Father Paul A. McNally, S.J. began his term as director. Under his direction the research efforts at Georgetown were focused on solar eclipses. A series of field expeditions began at this time. These were highly successful and contributed significantly to the observatory's growing reputation.
Father Francis J. Heyden, S.J., came to Georgetown in 1945 from the Manila Observatory, and in 1948 assumed directorship of the Observatory here. From that time until the closing of the Astronomy Department in 1971, the fame of the Observatory increased dramatically. The eclipse expeditions were continued with great success, and research in solar and planetary spectroscopy was begun. A graduate program was instituted, growing eventually to be the largest such department in this country.