Every October 24, Argentina commemorates the National Astronomy Day, a tribute to the inauguration of the Argentine National Observatory, today known as the Astronomical Observatory of Córdoba, founded in 1871.

The creation of the Observatory responded to the need to position Argentina as a reference in the scientific and astronomical field. Although the project was proposed by Domingo Faustino Sarmiento in 1866, its construction began only in 1870 during his presidency (1868-1874).

This ambitious project was led by the American astronomer Benjamin Gould, one of the most advanced astronomers of his time, who, trained in Germany, arrived in the country with his family and a team of assistants to direct the brand new institution.

In the beginning, Gould began to work with the available resources, using only a theater telescope and observing the sky with the naked eye. Thus, he drew a map of the southern sky, recording more than 7,000 stars, a pioneering work that culminated in the publication of the famous work Uranometría Argentina (Argentine Uranometry) in 1877. This contribution not only stood out for its rigor, but also positioned Argentina as a key center for the astronomical study of the southern hemisphere.

But the National Observatory's contributions were not limited to astronomy. Throughout its history, the institution participated in vital projects for the country, such as the creation of the National Meteorological Office, which was fundamental for agriculture and livestock. In addition, it collaborated in the unification of measurement standards, the precise determination of geographical longitudes, which allowed the first maps of Argentina to be made, and in measurements of the Earth's magnetic field. For many decades, it was also responsible for issuing the country's official time by telegraph.

In 1955 the building was declared a Historic Monument of Argentina.

Today, we remember that founding moment and celebrate the legacy that lives on in every astronomer and scientist who, from Argentina, continues to explore the mysteries of the universe.