Townsend Observatory

Townsend Observatory, owned and administered by the University of Canterbury, is part of the Arts Centre of Christchurch, New Zealand and was open on clear Friday evenings.

[2] Triggered by Townsend's gift, the Astronomical Society of Christchurch made its funds of NZ£420 available to the college on the understanding that an observatory would be built.

It was Benjamin Mountfort's last major design for the college and cost twice his estimate, but nonetheless was not lavish.

The observatory was destroyed when the part of the Arts Centre housing collapsed as a result of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

The historic Cooke 6" refractor telescope and its dome initially survived the collapse, but was subsequently run over by a bulldozer when rubble was being shifted.