What to expect

A fantastic evening outing, your visit will include a demonstration of our large Newtonian Telescope, housed in our original Sherwood Observatory building, in the white dome which is currently accessed via a spiral staircase.

We also allow the chance to view the skies through various smaller telescopes from the ground on our dedicated telescope pad.

You can join rolling talks about the  extremely interesting subject of Radio Astronomy and an  immersive planetarium talk, where you can experience our world-class planetarium and ask our knowledgeable presenter about the wonders of space.

You will also have the opportunity to learn about space history in the exhibition within Victorian reservoir and soak up the atmosphere and relax in our cafe.

Our team will be on hand to answer your questions and guide you through your tour.

Activities include:

• Viewing extraordinary planets and other astronomical objects through our main telescope and a variety of smaller telescopes owned by the observatory or our members (weather permitting).
• Presenter-led Planetarium session of approximately 25 minutes.
• Listen to a  radio astronomy talk and learn about this fascinating topic.
• Opportunities to ask questions about astronomy or about the telescopes.
• Free factsheets and/or skymaps to take away, subject to availability.
• Opportunity to buy some fantastic merchandise, including excellent photos of astronomical objects.
• Treat yourself to Refreshments and cakes in our spacious on-site cafe.

Please note that although it is hopefully rare, occasionally the telescopes viewing is affected by bad weather. Even in dry conditions, it can be chilly both in the dome and outside, so wrap up warm for the event.