This is a small fenced park located behind the Gaithersburg High School and towards the end of an old neighborhood street. There are several plaques explaining about the history of this attraction and some benches to sit on. I took some pictures before leaving. Worth about 5-10 minutes to visit.

Interesting if you are an astronomy buff. There was a series of these observatories around the globe that made astronomical observations. It's down a little side street but it's worth a visit.

Truly a gem. And a testament to governments’ willingness to work together. Relax in this nook and be certain to read the various informative placards scattered along the unpaved path.

This is a special site for you history buffs, and also those interested in science. Where would we be today without GPS to help us navigate around in unfamiliar areas? Ships and rockets today depend on electronic navigation systems. The underlying factor that makes these possible is astronomical research begun at the start of the twentieth century. Before World War I, with all the impending international violence, there was also international cooperation to determine how our earth moves, and one of only six players in this effort was the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory built in 1899. These measurements to clarify how the earth wobbles around its axis of rotation were done carefully by hand. They continue to be done today, but with automated facilities elsewhere. Consequently, the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory was decommissioned. This historic observatory, however, can still be seen today because of the work of the City of Gaithersburg in preserving it on location in what is now Gaithersburg Observatory Park. It is now designated in the National Register of Historic Places. What was then surrounded by cows, is now a leafy green park closely hemmed in by residential areas. Frankly, this observatory of immense historic impact does not look like much. It’s a rectangular building covered with lattices on all the walls and a window on one side. The flat roof can be pulled back to make the sky observable to the telescope. The window faces a pagoda-shaped tier, at which the astronomer aimed the telescope in order to calibrate it with the meridian. Signs in the park explain the significance of this work and what took place at the observatory and its sister sites around the world. If you feel hemmed in by residential sprawl, this small park may indeed provide a very pleasant grassy getaway, with lovely shade trees and park benches. Additionally, the City of Gaithersburg holds special events here periodically. During the eclipse this past summer, the city held an Eclipse Viewing Party at the park that was attended by 3,500 people, who not only saw the eclipse, but also had opportunities to learn science at special educational booths. Not all events, of course, are so well attended, but they are nonetheless quite interesting, usually held at night to learn about the planets and stars of the night sky. To get information about the schedule of such events, you should visit the Face Book page for the Gaithersburg Community Museum. Note that the original telescope used in the work at this observatory has now been moved to the Gaithersburg Community Museum, which is also reviewed in Trip Advisor.

Came across this park for the first time while walking some backstreets in my town. It's beautifully maintained and sits on a quiet side street with little traffic. The park is a historic site to preserve one of six telescope observatories installed around the world beginning in 1899 to measure the wobble of the earth as it turns on its axis. Four signs explain what the observatory accomplished and how the people working it operated the equipment. There's not a lot to see, and you won't be overawed by this place, but it's a very well kept little park in a quiet location. Great place to absorb a little local history, or to sit on a park bench and read a book. Several parking spaces at the entrance.