def _parse_observations_table(observations):
    """Parse a table of observations and retrieve the individual light curves.

    Parameters
    ----------
    observations : `~astropy.table.Table`
        Table of observations.

    Returns
    -------
    object_ids : `~astropy.table.Column`[str]
        `object_id` values for each light curve.
    light_curves : list[`~astropy.table.Table`]
        List of light curves.
    """
    light_curves = []
    lc_data = observations.group_by('object_id')
    for lc in lc_data.groups:
        lc.remove_column('object_id')
        light_curves.append(lc)

    return lc_data.groups.keys['object_id'], light_curves