An Introduction to Astronomy

Tonight’s event promises to be a spectacular evening of celebration and socially distanced astronomy.

On arrival, your health and safety is our primary concern, and we have a comprehensive system in place to ensure that you have a wonderful, and safe, time with us. We have also specifically reduced attendee numbers, to assist us in our efforts to keep you safe.

The event will begin with a personal welcome from our astronomer, Gary Fildes. Gary is a very experienced science communicator and astronomer, and founder of the Kielder Observatory, where he was Director and CEO for over 11 years.

After the welcome, Gary and the team will escort you into our new state of the art classroom, which has a cosy feel, and high definition (HD) projection system. Gary will take you on a whistle stop tour of the Universe. Following this, we will split into groups and, weather depending, start observing the sky, with our array of telescopes and cameras.

• have you ever looked up at the night time sky and wondered why you can’t see anything other than stars?
• or have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered how far it is to the stars that you can see?
• do you want to know what a star is, or how a telescope works, or even where it all came from?

If your answered yes to any of these questions, then you have came to the right place – Grassholme Observatory’s introduction evenings will cover all things astronomy!

Bring the kids, bring your granny, this will appeal to everyone. Tonight, we will cover details that will amaze, inform, thrill and engage you – then it’s off to the telescopes for the chance to observe the sky, through some seriously powerful pieces of equipment. We will use cameras to take pictures of what we see, as we gaze at the stars overhead.

From the middle of June, to mid July, the skies brighten, as the summer sun rises earlier, and sets later. Although brighter, these skies also have planets and other bright objects visible, and are equally as beautiful, as the inky dark evenings of later in the year, although less stars are visible.

After the observing ends, it’s back inside for a hot drink and a chat, before you head off home!