United States Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C.

E34411

United States Navy facility astronomical observatory scientific research institution

The United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. is a historic scientific and military facility known for its astronomical research, precise timekeeping, and role as the official residence of the U.S. vice president.

Try in SPARQL Jump to: Surface forms Disambiguation Statements Elicitation Referenced by

All labels observed (5)

Label	Occurrences
United States Naval Observatory	19
U.S. Naval Observatory	3
United States Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C. canonical	2
Naval Observatory	1
USNO Time Service Department	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T266864 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: United States Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C.
Context triple: [VPOTUS, officialResidenceLocation, United States Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C.]

A. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is a major research institution dedicated to the study of astronomy and astrophysics, known for its work in observational astronomy, space science, and collaboration with the Harvard College Observatory.
B. Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory is a historic astronomical observatory in Wisconsin renowned for housing one of the world’s largest refracting telescopes and for its influential role in 20th-century astrophysical research.
C. Las Campanas Observatory
Las Campanas Observatory is a major astronomical observatory in Chile renowned for its high-quality observing conditions and its role in cutting-edge optical and infrared astronomy.
D. Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory is a major astronomical observatory complex in northern Chile that hosts multiple world-class telescopes used for cutting-edge research on the universe.
E. Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a leading NASA research and development center specializing in robotic space exploration, planetary science missions, and deep-space communications.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: United States Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C.
Target entity description: The United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. is a historic scientific and military facility known for its astronomical research, precise timekeeping, and role as the official residence of the U.S. vice president.

A. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is a major research institution dedicated to the study of astronomy and astrophysics, known for its work in observational astronomy, space science, and collaboration with the Harvard College Observatory.
B. Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory is a historic astronomical observatory in Wisconsin renowned for housing one of the world’s largest refracting telescopes and for its influential role in 20th-century astrophysical research.
C. Las Campanas Observatory
Las Campanas Observatory is a major astronomical observatory in Chile renowned for its high-quality observing conditions and its role in cutting-edge optical and infrared astronomy.
D. Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory is a major astronomical observatory complex in northern Chile that hosts multiple world-class telescopes used for cutting-edge research on the universe.
E. Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a leading NASA research and development center specializing in robotic space exploration, planetary science missions, and deep-space communications.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (60)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	United States Navy facility ⓘ astronomical observatory ⓘ scientific research institution ⓘ
affiliation	United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station ⓘ
architecturalStyle	19th-century institutional architecture ⓘ
contributesTo	Coordinated Universal Time ⓘ International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service ⓘ surface form: International Celestial Reference Frame
coordinates	approximately 38.921°N 77.066°W ⓘ
country	United States of America ⓘ
employs	astronomers ⓘ civilian staff ⓘ engineers ⓘ military personnel ⓘ physicists ⓘ
hasFunction	astronomical research ⓘ ephemeris production ⓘ geodesy ⓘ navigation support ⓘ reference frame determination ⓘ standard time dissemination ⓘ support of civilian positioning and timing systems ⓘ support of military operations ⓘ timekeeping ⓘ
hasPart	Number One Observatory Circle ⓘ Vice President's Residence ⓘ surface form: Vice President’s Residence administrative offices ⓘ main observatory building ⓘ telescope domes ⓘ time service facilities ⓘ
headquartersLocation	Washington, D.C. ⓘ
heritageStatus	historic site ⓘ
inception	1830 ⓘ
jurisdiction	District of Columbia ⓘ
knownFor	astronomical observations ⓘ maintaining U.S. official time scale ⓘ precise timekeeping ⓘ production of astronomical almanacs ⓘ supporting GPS timing ⓘ
locatedIn	Northwest Washington, D.C. ⓘ Washington, D.C. ⓘ
locatedOn	Massachusetts Avenue NW ⓘ
mainBuildingMaterial	brick ⓘ
near	Embassy Row, Washington, D.C. ⓘ
operatedBy	United States Navy ⓘ
originalName	Depot of Charts and Instruments ⓘ
ownedBy	United States Navy ⓘ
partOf	Department of Defense ⓘ surface form: U.S. Department of Defense United States government ⓘ
produces	U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock ⓘ astronomical almanacs ⓘ ephemerides for celestial bodies ⓘ star catalogs ⓘ
renamedAs	United States Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C. self-link ⓘ surface form: United States Naval Observatory
significantEvent	relocation to current Washington, D.C. site in the late 19th century ⓘ
streetAddress	3450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. ⓘ
usedAs	official residence of the Vice President of the United States ⓘ
uses	Very Long Baseline Interferometry ⓘ atomic clocks ⓘ optical telescopes ⓘ radio telescopes ⓘ

How these facts were elicited