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A UK national establishment in Edinburgh. Its major role is in the support of the UK's national
facilities, especially through instrument development. It was founded as the Astronomical Institution of
Edinburgh in 1811 by private citizens. They petitioned King George IV on his visit to Edinburgh in August
1822 with the result that the title was changed to the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the status nominally
raised to that of the Royal Greenwich Observatory,
though it did not receive funding on the same level in practice. In 1834 the University of Edinburgh agreed to
take over the Observatory on condition that the government paid the salary of a professor who would hold the title Astronomer Royal for Scotland. In 1995, that honorary title was separated from the post of Director of the ROE. The Observatory still has close links with the University.
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