diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ae210bce3..c95fdb4b1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -132,4 +132,10 @@ docs/examples-rendered/*.py
 *.tex
 *.aux
 *.log
-*.pdf
\ No newline at end of file
+*.pdf
+
+# test output
+tests/datafile/par_*.par
+tests/datafile/fake_toas.tim
+tests/datafile/*.converted.par
+tests/datafile/_test_pintempo.out
diff --git a/CHANGELOG-unreleased.md b/CHANGELOG-unreleased.md
index d0d57b171..5ac8acfd0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG-unreleased.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG-unreleased.md
@@ -42,4 +42,5 @@ the released changes.
 - Consistent naming in `TimingModel.get_params_mapping()`
 - Better exceptions for unsupported/unimplemented binary models (BTX, MSS, etc.)
 - Emit warnings when `WaveX`/`DMWaveX` is used together with other representations of red/DM noise
+- `get_observatory()` no longer overwrites `include_gps` and `include_bipm` of `Observatory` objects unless explicitly stated (BIPM and GPS clock corrections no longer incorrectly applied to BAT TOAs).
 ### Removed
diff --git a/src/pint/observatory/__init__.py b/src/pint/observatory/__init__.py
index 17d32856d..895d46411 100644
--- a/src/pint/observatory/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pint/observatory/__init__.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 necessary.
 """
 
+from copy import deepcopy
 import os
 import textwrap
 from collections import defaultdict
@@ -143,24 +144,6 @@ class Observatory:
     # standard name.
     _alias_map = {}
 
-    def __new__(cls, name, *args, **kwargs):
-        # Generates a new Observatory object instance, and adds it
-        # it the registry, using name as the key.  Name must be unique,
-        # a new instance with a given name will over-write the existing
-        # one only if overwrite=True
-        obs = super().__new__(cls)
-        if name.lower() in cls._registry:
-            if "overwrite" not in kwargs or not kwargs["overwrite"]:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    f"Observatory {name.lower()} already present and overwrite=False"
-                )
-            log.warning(f"Observatory '{name.lower()}' already present; overwriting...")
-
-            cls._register(obs, name)
-            return obs
-        cls._register(obs, name)
-        return obs
-
     def __init__(
         self,
         name,
@@ -171,6 +154,10 @@ def __init__(
         bipm_version=bipm_default,
         overwrite=False,
     ):
+        self._name = name.lower()
+        self._aliases = (
+            list(set(map(str.lower, aliases))) if aliases is not None else []
+        )
         if aliases is not None:
             Observatory._add_aliases(self, aliases)
         self.fullname = fullname if fullname is not None else name
@@ -178,6 +165,15 @@ def __init__(
         self.include_bipm = include_bipm
         self.bipm_version = bipm_version
 
+        if name.lower() in Observatory._registry:
+            if not overwrite:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Observatory {name.lower()} already present and overwrite=False"
+                )
+            log.warning(f"Observatory '{name.lower()}' already present; overwriting...")
+
+        Observatory._register(self, name)
+
     @classmethod
     def _register(cls, obs, name):
         """Add an observatory to the registry using the specified name
@@ -186,7 +182,6 @@ def _register(cls, obs, name):
         The Observatory instance's name attribute will be updated for
         consistency."""
         cls._registry[name.lower()] = obs
-        obs._name = name.lower()
 
     @classmethod
     def _add_aliases(cls, obs, aliases):
@@ -199,10 +194,6 @@ def _add_aliases(cls, obs, aliases):
         to ensure consistency."""
         for a in aliases:
             cls._alias_map[a.lower()] = obs.name
-        for o in cls._registry.values():
-            o._aliases = [
-                alias for alias, name in cls._alias_map.items() if name == o.name
-            ]
 
     @staticmethod
     def gps_correction(t, limits="warn"):
@@ -460,7 +451,7 @@ def posvel(self, t, ephem, group=None):
 
 
 def get_observatory(
-    name, include_gps=True, include_bipm=True, bipm_version=bipm_default
+    name, include_gps=None, include_bipm=None, bipm_version=bipm_default
 ):
     """Convenience function to get observatory object with options.
 
@@ -474,10 +465,10 @@ def get_observatory(
     ----------
     name : str
         The name of the observatory
-    include_gps : bool, optional
-        Set False to disable UTC(GPS)->UTC clock correction.
-    include_bipm : bool, optional
-        Set False to disable TAI TT(BIPM) clock correction.
+    include_gps : bool or None, optional
+        Override UTC(GPS)->UTC clock correction.
+    include_bipm : bool or None, optional
+        Override TAI TT(BIPM) clock correction.
     bipm_version : str, optional
         Set the version of TT BIPM clock correction files.
 
@@ -485,11 +476,19 @@ def get_observatory(
         file switches/options are added at a public API level.
 
     """
-    site = Observatory.get(name)
-    site.include_gps = include_gps
-    site.include_bipm = include_bipm
-    site.bipm_version = bipm_version
-    return site
+    if include_bipm is not None or include_gps is not None:
+        site = deepcopy(Observatory.get(name))
+
+        if include_gps is not None:
+            site.include_gps = include_gps
+
+        if include_bipm is not None:
+            site.include_bipm = include_bipm
+            site.bipm_version = bipm_version
+
+        return site
+
+    return Observatory.get(name)
 
 
 def earth_location_distance(loc1, loc2):
@@ -533,8 +532,8 @@ def compare_t2_observatories_dat(t2dir=None):
         for line in interesting_lines(f, comments="#"):
             try:
                 x, y, z, full_name, short_name = line.split()
-            except ValueError:
-                raise ValueError(f"unrecognized line '{line}'")
+            except ValueError as e:
+                raise ValueError(f"unrecognized line '{line}'") from e
             x, y, z = float(x), float(y), float(z)
             full_name, short_name = full_name.lower(), short_name.lower()
             topo_obs_entry = textwrap.dedent(
@@ -831,10 +830,7 @@ def find_clock_file(
     """
     # Avoid import loop
     from pint.observatory.clock_file import ClockFile, GlobalClockFile
-    from pint.observatory.global_clock_corrections import (
-        Index,
-        get_clock_correction_file,
-    )
+    from pint.observatory.global_clock_corrections import Index
 
     if name == "":
         raise ValueError("No filename supplied to find_clock_file")
diff --git a/src/pint/observatory/satellite_obs.py b/src/pint/observatory/satellite_obs.py
index 2021c0b48..38d0c031b 100644
--- a/src/pint/observatory/satellite_obs.py
+++ b/src/pint/observatory/satellite_obs.py
@@ -311,7 +311,6 @@ def __init__(
         overwrite=False,
     ):
         super().__init__(
-            self,
             name,
             include_gps=include_gps,
             include_bipm=include_bipm,
@@ -444,4 +443,5 @@ def get_satellite_observatory(name, ft2name, **kwargs):
     # values as new observatories are added.
     if "maxextrap" not in kwargs:
         kwargs["maxextrap"] = 2
+
     return SatelliteObs(name, ft2name, **kwargs)
diff --git a/src/pint/observatory/topo_obs.py b/src/pint/observatory/topo_obs.py
index c1e800dea..1d7fe8868 100644
--- a/src/pint/observatory/topo_obs.py
+++ b/src/pint/observatory/topo_obs.py
@@ -502,7 +502,8 @@ def load_observatories(filename=observatories_json, overwrite=False):
 def load_observatories_from_usual_locations(clear=False):
     """Load observatories from the default JSON file as well as ``$PINT_OBS_OVERRIDE``, optionally clearing the registry
 
-    Running with ``clear=True`` will return PINT to the state it is on import.  Running with ``clear=False`` may result in conflicting definitions if observatories have already been imported.
+    Running with ``clear=True`` will return PINT to the state it is on import.
+    Running with ``clear=False`` may result in conflicting definitions if observatories have already been imported.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
diff --git a/tests/test_eventstats.py b/tests/test_eventstats.py
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
diff --git a/tests/test_fermiphase.py b/tests/test_fermiphase.py
index 1be357cb5..b5f9437c4 100644
--- a/tests/test_fermiphase.py
+++ b/tests/test_fermiphase.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 
 import pint.models
 import pint.scripts.fermiphase as fermiphase
-import pint.toa as toa
 from pint.fermi_toas import get_Fermi_TOAs, _default_uncertainty
 from pint.observatory.satellite_obs import get_satellite_observatory
 from pinttestdata import datadir
diff --git a/tests/test_observatory.py b/tests/test_observatory.py
index e126b02d8..050b1be0a 100644
--- a/tests/test_observatory.py
+++ b/tests/test_observatory.py
@@ -276,9 +276,11 @@ def test_json_observatory_output(sandbox):
     gbt_reload = get_observatory("gbt")
 
     for p in gbt_orig.__dict__:
-        if p not in ["_clock"]:
+        if p not in ["_clock", "_aliases"]:
             assert getattr(gbt_orig, p) == getattr(gbt_reload, p)
 
+        assert set(gbt_orig._aliases) == set(gbt_reload._aliases)
+
 
 def test_json_observatory_input_latlon(sandbox):
     gbt_orig = get_observatory("gbt")
@@ -336,3 +338,16 @@ def test_compare_t2_observatories_dat():
 def test_compare_tempo_obsys_dat():
     s = compare_tempo_obsys_dat(testdatadir / "observatory")
     assert isinstance(s, defaultdict)
+
+
+def test_ssb_obs():
+    ssb = Observatory.get("@")
+    assert not ssb.include_bipm and not ssb.include_gps
+
+    ssb = get_observatory("@")
+    assert not ssb.include_bipm and not ssb.include_gps
+
+    # get_observatory changes the state of the registered
+    # Observatory objects. So this needs to be repeated.
+    ssb = Observatory.get("@")
+    assert not ssb.include_bipm and not ssb.include_gps