Observatories
The listed observatories are open to the public on the dates and times specified. These are 'amateur' observatories run by enthusiasts in their spare time. Some societies make a small charge for your visit, some are free. If you have an enjoyable time, please consider making a donation to help with the upkeep and running of the telescopes.
Click on the map below for more details.
Please send additions and updates to the Webmaster.
| Location | Croydon, Surrey |
| Visitors | |
| Times | Cloud free Saturdays from 20:00hrs. |
| Telescopes | |
| Society | Croydon Astronomical Society |
| WWW | http://www.croydonastro.org.uk/ |
| Email | |
| Telephone | |
| Charge | No |
| Facilities | |
| Location | Clanfield, Hampshire |
| Visitors | By ticketed events or by appointment only, please check website for details |
| Times | Special Open Weekends and Special events. |
| Telescopes | 6 Telescopes in 5 domes ranging from 4.5" Refractor to 24" Reflector, some computer controlled. Several smaller telescopes also available for use to members. Largest Amatuer Observatory in the UK. |
| Society | Hampshire Astronomical Group |
| WWW | http://www.hantsastro.org.uk/ |
| Email | richard.judd@hantsastro.org.uk |
| Telephone | 023 92 595217 |
| Charge | Various please check website |
| Facilities | Parking on site, toilet, light refreshments, lecture facilities in clubshouse 6 acre site. |
| Location | Itchen College, Deacon Road, Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire |
| Visitors | All |
| Times | Monthly (weather permitting) - see webpage |
| Telescopes | 16-inch reflector |
| Society | Solent Amateur Astronomers |
| WWW | http://www.delscope.demon.co.uk/society/observatories.htm |
| Email | |
| Telephone | |
| Charge | £1.00 for adults, 50p for children, students, OAPs and those on Benefit |
| Facilities | Parking and toilets |
| Location | Toothill, Rownhams near Southampton, Hampshire |
| Visitors | All |
| Times | First Friday and Saturday of each month (weather permitting) |
| Telescopes | 12-inch reflector |
| Society | Solent Amateur Astronomers |
| WWW | http://www.delscope.demon.co.uk/society/observatories.htm |
| Email | |
| Telephone | |
| Charge | £1.00 for adults, 50p for children, students, OAPs and those on Benefit |
| Facilities | Parking and toilets |
| Location | Canterbury, Kent |
| Visitors | All |
| Times | Alternate Fridays from 20:00hrs (see website) |
| Telescopes | Celestron 14" guided scope in main dome, Meade 16" Dobsonian, various other scopes |
| Society | Mid-Kent Astronomical Society |
| WWW | http://www.mkas-site.co.uk/ |
| Email | obo@midkentastro.org.uk |
| Telephone | 01634 232153 or 07717 678795 |
| Charge | No charge - contribution welcome, suggest £1 |
| Facilities | 25' dome, planetarium s/w, Hot drinks, expert stargazers and incomparable company. |
| Location | Liverpool Astronomical Society Pex Hill Observatory, Nr Cronton, Widnes, Cheshire |
| Visitors | Open to general visitors, youth/school groups/evening classes. |
| Times | Open every Wednesday 7-9pm (later if weather allows use of telescopes.)Occasional openings other nights/days & Friday & Saturday nights as skyevents dictates. Summer open day in June/July. Open weekly all year round. |
| Telescopes | Main scope in observatory : (details on request)Ground floor level we have use of Robinson 16" Dobsonian |
| Society | Liverpool Astronomical Society |
| WWW | http://www.liv.ac.uk/~ggastro/pexhill.observatory.html |
| Email | pexhill@laspool.freeserve.co.uk |
| Telephone | Director of Observatory (Geoff Regan) 0151 292 7165 |
| Charge | No |
| Facilities | Parking is free, toilets (plus disabled). Stairs to Observatory only no disabled lift. Refreshments hot drinks & biscuits on request. (Please note no food or drink allowed in Observatory). |
| Location | Coats Observatory, Paisley |
| Visitors | Open to all individuals, groups and families. Regrettably, there are no facilities for the disabled and the building is unsuitable for wheelchair users |
| Times | Coats Observatory, Paisley Open to all individuals, groups and families. Regrettably, there are no facilities for the disabled and the building is unsuitable for wheelchair usersOpen Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm,Sundays & Bank Holidays 12 noon to 4pm,closed Mondays.Public observing sessions every Thursday evening from 7.30 pm from last Thursday in October to last Thursday in March.Groups at other times by arrangement |
| Telescopes | 10" and 5" refractors housed within the dome. Renfrewshire Astronomical Society possess several computer operated telescopes which can be used if appropriate within landscaped gardens at rear of building |
| Society | Renfrewshire Astronomical Society |
| WWW | http://www.renfrewshireastro.co.uk |
| Email | Postal address:- 49 Oakshaw Street West, Paisley, Renfrewshire PA8 7JW |
| Telephone | Tel No. 0141 889 2013 |
| Charge | |
| Facilities | Easy corrider access to/from central museum & art galleries, Grade A listed building of significant architectural interest, free parking available nearby, original equipment including a large working orrery showing all 8 planets etc.(it was installed in 1893 - long before Pluto was found). At its inauguration, this was the best equipped astronomical observatory in Europe. The building also serves as the main seismological station for west central Scotland and has recorded famous earthquakes from all around the world including the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. A former satellite data receiving station and one of the main weather recording stations with continuous records dating back to the late 1800s |
| Location | Seething, Norfolk |
| Visitors | Open to all |
| Times | Friday evenings from 7.30pm but particularly on Public Open Events during the year (Details on web site) |
| Telescopes | 12" Meade LX200, 6" Synta Refractor (To be commissioned before Christmas), various portable instruments |
| Society | Norwich Astronomical Society |
| WWW | http://www.norwich.astronomicalsociety.org.uk |
| Email | |
| Telephone | Secr:etary David Balcombe: 01953 602624 |
| Charge | |
| Facilities | Parking, toilets, refreshments, some buildings accessible to wheelchairs, lecture facilities |
| Location | Rotherham, South Yorkshire |
| Visitors | Open to all |
| Times | Public Open Events during the year (Details on web site) |
| Telescopes | 18" Newtonian Reflector |
| Society | Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society |
| WWW | http://www.msas.org.uk |
| Email | PVEs - pve@msas.org.uk |
| Telephone | |
| Charge | Charge only made on public events |
| Facilities | Parking - few onsite & roadside. Regrettably, there are no facilities for the disabled and the building is unsuitable for wheelchair users. Hot drinks on request. (Please note no food or drink allowed in Observatory). |
| Location | Newchurch Parish Sports and Community Association grounds at Newchurch |
| Visitors | Open to all |
| Times | Second Friday of every month from 7.30pm |
| Telescopes | Meade 12" and there are various others including a Dobsonian |
| Society | Vectis AS |
| WWW | http://www.wightskies.fsnet.co.uk/ |
| Email | RosemaryPears@aol.com |
| Telephone | |
| Charge | |
| Facilities | Ample parking. Bring a torch. Entrance at the back of the Observatory. |
| Location | Airdrie Public Observatory, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire |
| Visitors | Open to all members of the public, groups, schools, etc |
| Times | Airdrie Public Observatory is open every Friday evening. Meetings take place in Airdrie Arts Centre, Anderson Street, Airdrie via ASTRA – The Association in Scotland To Research into Astronautics. Outwith these times, observing sessions and visits to be arranged via Mr Paul Clark (Honorary Curator) |
| Telescopes | 6 inch Cooke refractor housed within the dome. 9.25 Celestron and various other telescopes and binoculars ASTRA run the facility on behalf of North Lanarkshire Council. |
| Society | The Association in Scotland To Research into Astronautics (A.S.T.R.A) Ltd |
| WWW | http://www.astra.org.uk |
| Email | phendrixx@aol.com |
| Telephone | Tel No. 01236-770389 – Paul Clark – Honorary Curator |
| Charge | No Charge. ASTRA Ltd is a charity limited by guarantee. |
| Facilities | One of only four municipal observatories in the UK. Airdrie Public Observatory is the second oldest and smallest of these observatories. Airdrie has had an active astronomical society since 1895. The observatory is very much a “working museum” and has been continuously upgraded by ASTRA to reflect the traditional Victorian Observatory. ASTRA also strives to modernize its facilities and works closely with North Lanarkshire Council in maintaining the observatory. ASTRA also meets every Friday evening in Airdrie Arts Centre from 7:30 until 9:30pm. These meetings include guest lectures, discussion projects, observing sessions (weather permitting). We are a unique society insofar as we meet every week. We have a range of members young and old and everyone is welcome to come along and participate – we even serve tea and coffee at midpoint. If you are interested in Rocketry, then ASTRA also has an active spaceflight section ad we fly regularly in rockery competitions. So come along, you are in good company – most of us are enthusiastic amateurs and keen to learn. |
| Location | Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 0NY. Latitude 50 41 16 N Longitude 3 13 07 W |
| Visitors | Public open days, or groups from 25-100 welcome by private appointment |
| Times | Public open afternoons and evenings throughout the year. (see website for details) |
| Telescopes | 6.25in Lockyer Refractor in Mond Dome, 10in Kensington Refractor, 10in McClean Refractor + portable |
| Society | Norman Lockyer Observatory Society |
| WWW | www.normanlockyer.org |
| Email | enquiries@normanlockyer.org |
| Telephone | 01395 579941 |
| Charge | £5.00 per adult £2.50 per student |
| Facilities | Historic telescopes, 60 seat planetarium, educational astronomy courses, lecture theatre (available for hire), library, tea/coffee making facilities, public conveniences, extensive car park and grounds. |
| Location | Marina Towers Observatory, Swansea |
| Visitors | Open to all individuals, groups and families according to a timetable (see website). Regrettably, there are no facilities for the disabled and the building is unsuitable for wheelchair users |
| Times | |
| Telescopes | A 20" Shafer-Maksutov housed within the 4th storey dome and several telescopes are deployed on the ground floor during open-evenings. |
| Society | Swansea Astronomical Society |
| WWW | http://www.classroominspace.org.uk |
| Email | spinks40@sky.com (Post to 40 Dillwyn Road, Sketty, Swansea, SA2 9AE) |
| Telephone | 01792 299311 |
| Charge | The Society has never charged for admission but all donations are welcome. |
| Facilities | The twin-towered building is of significant architectural interest, parking is available nearby, (check website for location directions), the stairtower (84 steps) houses the largest model of the Solar System on a single site in Britain. The Society maintains a regular programme for schools to visit the site on Wednesday mornings during term-time. |
