8 June 1826. Belgium is not independent yet. But with the permission of Willem I, King of the Netherlands, an Observatory is established in Sint-Joost-ten-Noode. 

There is no building yet. No instruments to observe the planets and the stars either. But the desire to see what the naked eye cannot is already there. And in 1834, the Royal Observatory of Brussels finally opens its doors. 

But there’s a problem.  

The observatory stands in the middle of the city, surrounded by streetlights. Their light makes it increasingly difficult to observe the night sky. And the institution itself is growing fast. So, in 1890, the Observatory moves to Uccle. 

Its name changes too. The Observatory of Brussels becomes the Royal Observatory of Belgium. More than a century later, it is still there. Scientists continue to observe the stars and planets, while also studying Earth. 

So next time you pass this stop, don’t just look around you. Look up. And think of all the discoveries that began with the simple desire to see a little further.