Built in 1826 by the East India Company, the Colaba Observatory (formerly Bombay Observatory) has endured several structural changes over time, but its defining tower is still intact. The Directorate bungalow in the premises is an architectural wonder. This observatory, India’s oldest, houses some of the earliest and most intricate magnetic observations. Till 1840, it used to be an astronomical observatory after which it was transformed into a magnetic and meteorological observatory. The history of this place has been defined by the history of the men at its helm spanning various time zones.
Arthur Bedford Orlebar, who taught Astronomy at Bombay’s Elphinstone College, was the institution’s first director to record geomagnetism and meteorological observations. The observatory earned high accolades during the directorship of Charles Chambers (1834–1896), thanks to his scientific acumen and astute interpretation of the intricate physics behind the geomagnetic mechanisms. No wonder, he was later inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society.
The untimely demise of Chambers saw Nanabhoy Ardeshir Framji Moos become the first Indian director of the observatory in 1896. Moos had an engineering degree from Poona, as also a Science degree from Edinburgh, Scotland. Seismological observations were introduced during his tenure.
1900 turned out to be a milestone year for Mumbai when horse-drawn trams made way for electricity-powered transportation. As the electromagnetic noise of the electric trams was prone to corrupt observatory data, Moos shifted base to Alibag, a small but strategically located town 30 km south-east of Mumbai, a perfect venue not too far and not too near.
The transition to the new place was an elaborate exercise spanning two years (1904 to 1906) to ensure 100 percent feasibility. Under the exemplary stewardship of Moos, the Alibag structure was set up in record time using carefully chosen, non-magnetic, Porbandar sandstone, and a well equipped magnetic recording room with fool-proof insulation.
Among his several accomplishments is an incisive two-volume summary of key observatory findings titled ‘Magnetic observations made at the Government Observatory, Bombay for the period 1846–1905. Parts I. and II’ which is regarded as the most comprehensive and definitive guide to the essence and significance of geomagnetic research.