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The Astronomy Tower was the tallest tower at Hogwarts Castle. It was where students studied the stars and planets through their telescopes in Astronomy lessons with Professor Aurora Sinistra. This was usually done at midnight, when the stars were best seen.[1] The tower was generally out-of-bounds except for classes.[1]

Contents[]

On the ground to third floors, the tower contained various passages to other parts of the castle.[2] On the fourth floor, it accommodated a spacious hallway that connected to the Magical Theory classroom and a bathroom. The classroom was adjacent to the Magical Theory professor's office.[2] The fifth floor contained a corridor and a reading room, as well as the Astronomy professor's living quarters.[2] Further up were the Astronomy Room and the battlements of the tower.[3][4]

History[]

19th century[]

During the 1890-1891 school year, one of the most advanced astronomy telescopes available to wizardkind was placed in this tower for the students and staff to use.[2]

During the same school year, the Bloody Baron would often linger in the tower's staircase, staring wistfully at the stairwell's Enchanted Ceiling which depicted the night sky.[2]

1992[]

Astrononmy Tower concept art

Exterior view of the tower

In Harry Potter's first year, he and Hermione Granger climbed to the top of the Astronomy Tower to send Rubeus Hagrid's pet dragon, Norbert, to Charlie Weasley in Romania. Despite their success in sending Norbert away, they were caught by Argus Filch when they descended the tower, because they had forgotten to bring Harry's Invisibility Cloak back with them.[5] Professor McGonagall also caught Neville Longbottom and took away 150 points from Gryffindor house.[6]

1993[]

After Sirius Black tried to break in to the Gryffindor Tower on the evening of 31 October, 1993, all the staff was to search the Castle for any signs of Black. Argus Filch searched the Astronomy Tower and found nothing.[7]

1996[]

Books chapterart ootp 31

The O.W.L. Astronomy exam in 1996

The Astronomy practical exam took place here for the O.W.L.s. Under the supervision of Professor Tofty, students were required to fill out a star chart. However, Dolores Umbridge, John Dawlish and several other Ministry of Magic officials attacked Rubeus Hagrid during this practical, and the resulting skirmish caused several Aurors and Professor Minerva McGonagall to be severely injured, Fang too become incapacitated, and Hagrid was forced to flee the school. All of this was witnessed by the Fifth years taking their Astronomy O.W.L.s.[8]

1997[]

Harry and Dumbledore at the Astronomy Tower HBP

Harry and Dumbledore at the Astronomy Tower in 1997

When the Death Eaters arrived at Hogwarts, most of the Battle of the Astronomy Tower between the opposing sides took place in this tower, and in the corridor below. Death Eaters set off the Dark Mark above this tower; Albus Dumbledore was blasted from the tower's ramparts by a Killing Curse cast by Severus Snape.[9] This was where Dumbledore met his death,[9] by his own orders.[10]

Structure[]

Astronomy Tower

The Tower from behind

The tower was the tallest in Hogwarts and was positioned almost directly above the front doors of the castle. The tower was also surrounded by a parapet and was tall enough to have a perfect view of the starry sky.[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

Wiki
The Harry Potter Wiki has 82 images related to Astronomy Tower.

Notes and references[]

Hogwarts Castle
Towers
Astronomy Tower · Bell towers · Boathouse Bell Tower · Central Tower · Clock Tower · Dark Tower · Faculty Tower · Founders' Tower · Greenhouse tower · Gryffindor Tower · Headmaster's Tower · Hospital tower · Hufflepuff Duelling Turrets · Lookout Tower · Marble Staircase Tower · Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom tower · North battlements · North Tower · Octagon Tower · Pepperpot · Quidditch tower · Ravenclaw Tower · Ravenclaw Tower roof terrace · Right Long Gallery tower · Small Locked Tower · South Tower · Suspension Bridge towers · The Quad battlements · The Tower · Training Grounds tower · Turris Magnus · Turris Medius · Upper Hall tower · Viaduct Courtyard Gatehouses · West Tower · West Tower battlements
Portraits, statues and other artwork located in the towers
Albus Dumbledore · Armando Dippet · Affpuddle of the Cheerful Countenance · Valeria Myriadd · Dexter Fortescue · Dilys Derwent · Oraclitus Spheer · Fat Lady · Niamh Fitzgerald · Sir Cadogan · Slytherin knight · Hufflepuff lady · Heliotrope Wilkins · Severus Snape · Phineas Nigellus Black · Vulpus · Quentin Trimble · Limebert · Ravenclaw bust · Ravenclaw lady · Rowena Ravenclaw · Walter Aragon · Quidditch player · Professor · Female etiquette teacher · Gryffindor lady · Gryffindor man · Gryffindor man · Gryffindor man · Gryffindor seeker · Red-haired witch · Young maiden · Vase with flowers · Group of women in crinolines · Pangur Donn · Sinister-looking monks · Winged horse
Astronomy
Astronomy Pottermore
Professors: Satyavati Shah · Aurora Sinistra
Astronomy at Hogwarts: Astronomy classroom · Astronomy Corridor · Astronomy Club · Astronomy department · Astronomy homework meeting · Astronomy reading room · Astronomy Room · Astronomy Stairs · Astronomy Tower
Astronomers: Aurora Sinistra · Copernicus · George von Rheticus · Perpetua Fancourt · Hesper Starkey
Objects: Astrolabe · Globe of the Moon · Lunascope · Moon chart · Orrery · Sextant · Star chart · Telescope
Planets: Jupiter · Mars · Mercury · Neptune · Pluto · Rogue planets · Saturn · Uranus · Venus
Satellites: Callisto · Europa · Ganymede · Io · Moon
Constellations: Aquila · Bartholomeus · Cetus · Crater · Dark cloud constellations · Orion · Ursa Major
Other topics: Black holes · Cosmic ages · Dark energy · Dark matter · Eclipse · Lunar phases · Meteor showers · Space weather · Wormholes
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