Claim: The Vassar College Observatory—an astronomical observatory which was finished in 1865—not only served as an educational and research facility wherein students are usually found using both the main telescope and any of the smaller instruments, but also as a home for Maria and her father during and after her tenure as professor.
Evidence: The Vassar College Observatory is an astronomical observatory of the private Vassar College, located near the eastern edge of the Poughkeepsie, New York college's campus. Finished in 1865, it was the first building on the college's campus, older even than the Main Building, with which it shares the status of National Historic Landmark. In addition to serving as an educational and research facility, the original observatory also served as a home for Maria and her father during and after her tenure as professor. Students could frequently be found using both the main telescope and any number of smaller instruments.