as in lookouts
a high place or structure from which a wide view is possible
the observatory is located on a mountaintop
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Recent Examples of observatories
In the aftermath, astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories around the world to track a couple of dozen pieces of the shattered comet, in what appeared to be grouped in four main clusters of icy debris.
—
Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
That’s the tremendous power of space telescopes, as was shown exquisitely in the 1990s with the launch of NASA’s original fleet of great observatories.
—Big Think, 4 Feb. 2026
The Atacama Desert of Chile, the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the vast expanse of the Australian Outback—these are where astronomers and engineers have built the great observatories and radio telescopes of modern times.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2026
Iconic photographs from pioneering observatories of decades past, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope, had shown this maelstrom as an extended haze around the nebula’s glowing iris.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 20 Jan. 2026
Global milestones in human spaceflight While robotic observatories quietly expand our view of the cosmos, 2026 will also mark a major step forward for human spaceflight.
—Grant Tremblay, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2026
The observatories—named the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System—will utilize state-of-the-art technology at a fraction of the cost of similar NASA projects.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026
Sunny skies by day often bring clear nightscapes after dark, so soak up the starry splendor on the Tucson Astro Trail, which links 12 area observatories and dark-sky parks.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 4 Jan. 2026
Each day, harbors and observatories would raise and lower a metal ball at the same time to allow sailors to synchronize their instruments.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
That’s the tremendous power of space telescopes, as was shown exquisitely in the 1990s with the launch of NASA’s original fleet of great observatories.
—Big Think, 4 Feb. 2026
The Atacama Desert of Chile, the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the vast expanse of the Australian Outback—these are where astronomers and engineers have built the great observatories and radio telescopes of modern times.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2026
Iconic photographs from pioneering observatories of decades past, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope, had shown this maelstrom as an extended haze around the nebula’s glowing iris.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 20 Jan. 2026
Global milestones in human spaceflight While robotic observatories quietly expand our view of the cosmos, 2026 will also mark a major step forward for human spaceflight.
—Grant Tremblay, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2026
The observatories—named the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System—will utilize state-of-the-art technology at a fraction of the cost of similar NASA projects.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026
Sunny skies by day often bring clear nightscapes after dark, so soak up the starry splendor on the Tucson Astro Trail, which links 12 area observatories and dark-sky parks.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 4 Jan. 2026
Each day, harbors and observatories would raise and lower a metal ball at the same time to allow sailors to synchronize their instruments.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observatories
Noun
-
Meanwhile, White and Mordon placed Register in one of their two rental cars with Aristil and Tillman acting as lookouts.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
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There are now 85 villas hidden away among Mustique’s coves and hilltop lookouts, each developed by a private owner.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Building new office towers was a nonstarter in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Atlanta was flooded with unwanted workspace.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Our first stop was the cemetery of Penpont Church, a handsome Gothic Revival building with a spire that towers a hundred and twenty feet over the village.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The city is crisscrossed with dozens of paths, such as Ensign Peak, Mount Olympus, and Bell Canyon, which lead to scenic overlooks, active creeks, patches of violet wildflowers, and even waterfalls.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
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There are signs directing visitors to the lake overlooks and signs for the main trail.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Observatories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observatories. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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