Kielder Observatory is one of the most remarkable places to visit in the whole of the UK, a public astronomical observatory which is second to none. Here you'll find "infinite inspiration" and wonders you could never have imagined under some of the darkest skies in the world.
Kielder Observatory is one of the most remarkable places to visit in the UK—a public astronomical observatory and educational charity offering something truly special for everyone.
Visit us and discover wonders beyond imagination, all set beneath the breathtaking skies of Europe’s largest Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park. Whether you’re a first-time stargazer or a seasoned astronomer, our much-loved team promises an unforgettable experience.
Looking to visit as soon as possible? Check out our events with last minute availability below.
This event takes place at the darkest part of the night, presenting the best opportunity for stargazing in clear weather. Night owls is a phrase we often get described as working in Astronomy, it’s a hobby best served late at night. Our late-night events have been our most popular events for many years. Guiding you through your astronomical discovery, our team of enthused astronomers will impart knowledge and stories about what lays beyond Earth’s atmosphere, touring you around our facilities during which you will meet state of the art instrumentation used for observing the night skies. Whether virtually or physically, you will get hands on with astronomy, and our astronomers will guide your journey into the stars. You'll be taking part in activities along the way, and of course the opportunity to stargaze in one of Europe’s best places to do so, should the skies be clear. Why is Kielder such a special place to do astronomy? In the heart of the Northumberland, Kielder Water and Forest Park is rated as the largest gold tier dark skies park in Europe, making it one of the best places to observe the stars in the UK. Being far away from big towns and cities, means that when weather permits and depending on the moon phase, the sky can be awash with thousands of stars. When the skies are clear, using our large aperture robotic telescopes, we can reveal hidden objects which lay beyond our atmosphere and gaze deep into our cosmos. When the moon is in sight, craters, and mountain ranges on our only natural satellite. What happens if it's cloudy? On nights where weather does not permit observations, we use technology to help you visualise how things may have otherwise been seen, using immersive instruments which simulate observing through a telescope, and large screen night sky navigation, pre-captured images and videos. What does my ticket cost go towards supporting? Supporting these events helps us deliver our charitable objectives across all our science communication offers, including delivering workshops in Schools, working with vulnerable people, rehabilitation projects in prisons, engaging in creative arts and expression with refugees, and the rest of the work we deliver as a small team across not just the UK, but also the rest of the world. You as a contributor, visiting our events makes all this possible. The ticket price for this event reflects the cost of hosting these bespoke events and, however as the evening goes, we will strive to give you a first-class experience at the UK's premier public observatory! How will my event run? ***Please note this is a structure that is changeable depending on the conditions of the night and the weather forecast. Stargazing is treated as a priority throughout the event where conditions allow.*** On arrival you will be guided down from the car park around 10 minutes prior to your event and welcomed into the main room where you will be seated with other guests for a welcome video and a short introduction talk from a member of the team. After this you will be taken on a tour of the facilities in 3 groups and rotated to visit all 3 stations. If weather permits, you will partake in structured observing in our 3 observing locations. If weather does not permit stargazing the tours will consist of pre-captured footage viewed through our state-of-the-art digital telescope, night sky software simulations and constellation hunting, and an introduction to space rocks where you will get hands on with the raw ingredients of our solar system from outer space. Hot drinks will be served during one of your tours during this event. At the end of the night, you will have a small amount of free time to continue observations should weather permit, speak to our astronomers, and ask them questions, visit the gift shop, take selfies with the telescope or revisit any of the activities you have taken part in throughout the night. As part of your ticket price, you will receive: 10% off in our gift shop A free star map 20% discount voucher for a future booking if no observing can take place Information and literature are available to take away with you which covers many of the topics covered throughout this event. ...
Tickets
From £45.00 per person
Next available event
Thursday 10th April
The Universe. Unimaginably large, old and complex. How did it all begin? How long has it been around? When will it end? From our earthly perspective, humans have sought for solutions to the very beginnings of it all, the stars and bodies within it and ultimately how the universe will end. Join us on a night where we will journey through space and time, out into the cosmos to unlock some of the mysteries our universe has to offer. From our solar system to the large-scale structure of the universe and on to the Big Bang, we will explore our current perceptions of it and the important discoveries made along the way. This cosmic voyage gives an excellent understanding of the physical universe as a whole and address what it means to exist within it, in a way which is interesting and accessible to all. During the evening we will guide you through the observatory, introduce you to the large aperture telescopes and give you guidance on how to use them. If the skies are clear we will view objects in our own galaxy, some of which are beyond the realms of what the naked eye can see and which have shaped our understanding of the universe! You will also be treated to a hot drink of either tea, coffee or our famous hot chocolate as well as having the opportunity to support our charity further by taking home a memento of your visit to the observatory from our gift shop In the summer months we lose the darkness so we turn our attention to the brighter objects that are visible, such as craters on the moon, star clusters and atmospheric phenomena like night shining clouds, known as noctilucent clouds… Although star-gazing is the priority on all our events, our aim is to deliver a fantastic experience whatever the weather with the help of our team of experienced and passionate astronomers....
Tickets
From £35.00 per person
Next available event
Friday 11th April
Our Moon is our nearest neighbour in space and has affected our everyday lives more than you may know. For example, it has shaped our monthly calendar due to its orbital period, influenced the agricultural history on the earth, it created tides and stares at us in regular cycles. At over 2000 miles across and on average 240,000 miles away, it is the most recognised object in our night skies. We have even been there many times and from 1969, 12 astronauts have walked on its surface. But how well do we really know it? How did it form? How long has it been there and how do we know? During this evening we will aim to challenge ourselves and understand our moon a little more. Depending on observing conditions our large aperture telescopes will be able to see its most prominent craters, surface details you never knew existed and see your very shadow cast by it. We will also help you take pictures with your mobile phones and all from this unique viewpoint. And don't worry - if it's a cloudy night, we can use our radio telescope to still bring the moon to life for you. In the summer months we can still observe despite the lighter evenings, including brighter planets, binary star systems, beautiful star clusters and breathtaking noctilucent clouds. During the evening you will be treated to a hot drink of either tea, coffee or our famous hot chocolate as well as having the opportunity to support our charity further by taking home a memento of your visit to the observatory from our gift shop Although star-gazing is the priority on all our events, our aim is to deliver a fantastic experience whatever the weather with the help of our team of experienced and passionate astronomers. ...
Tickets
From £35.00 per person
Next available event
Saturday 12th April
Our reviews are out of this world...
Kielder Observatory is a charity that exists to inspire, enthuse and educate the public about the wonders of the universe. Donating to us will help us reach more people and support their interest in astronomy. Your gift will help fund our work in schools, in the arts, our citizen science projects, getting out and about in the community and, of course, the work we do at the Observatory itself.
Lots of exciting things are happening at Kielder Observatory, use this page to browse the latest stories.
Is anybody else out there? In this month's Ask An Astronomer, Science communicator and Astronomer James Claxton looks at one...
Read Time
10 minutes
After a very astronomically eventful March, we move swiftly into April meaning Spring is well and truly underway bringing with...
Read Time
5 minutes
In this month's What’s Up, astronomer Rosie talks us through March’s highlights. I don’t know about you, but I’m sure...
Read Time
6 minutes
Purchase some of the incredible photographs taken from Kielder Observatory.
This picture was taken in the late Autumn of 2014, taken through the telescope with a DSLR camera....
£25.00
The lunar eclipse on 21st January 2019 was an unforgettable sight. The whole observatory team stayed up until 6am to capture images of this amazing cosmic coincidence. A lunar eclipse is when the Earth is perfectly lined up in between the Sun and Moon. Earth’s shadow sweeps across the lunar surfaces causing the Moon to turn blood red....
£25.00
This was taken on a moonlit night to keep the observatory illuminated, the image is created by stacking a number of shots taken over a long period of time. This was shot using a 14mm lens, with 25 second exposures for 30 minutes. We can see how the stars appear to trail around one central point, our North Star (Polaris), as the Earth spins on its axis and Polaris stays still in its position directly above the North Pole....
£25.00
The clearest of skies allow for this amazing 'star trails' image, the rotating earth allows for these beautiful shapes and patterns to develop. Our eyes can never see the passage of time like this but the camera can....
£25.00
Our workshops and talks are the perfect educational visit to broaden your knowledge!
Take home the ultimate souvenir of knowledge from Kielder Observatory by learning how award winning astrophotographers take images of the night sky. Modern day digital cameras have resulted in an explosion of popularity for night sky photography. By turning our lenses towards the night sky, we have helped our visitors realise just how capable they can be when shooting into darkness. To start the night, our friendly team of astronomers will deliver a talk, suitable for beginners through to professionals, and will provide the top tips required in order to capture stunning nightscapes of the Milky Way, Aurora Borealis, startrails and more. Furthermore, being situated in the heart of the Northumberland and Kielder Water’s Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, Kielder Observatory is the ideal destination for budding astrophotographers to learn, experiment and achieve quality results with their cameras. Weather permitting, the evening will include informal practical photography sessions, use of Kielder Observatory telescopes to observe the night sky, and then it’ll be time to warm up with a generous dose of our famous hot chocolate, tea or coffee, included in the price. The event will be heavily based on landscape astrophotography. We’d highly recommend you bring a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a wide-angle lens and a tripod. It’s even possible to capture the stars using the camera on modern smartphones, so we could give that a try! Oh… And don’t forget to charge your batteries! You will also have the opportunity to support our charity further by taking home a memento of your visit from our gift shop. ...
Tickets
From £28.50 per person
Next available event
Sunday 27th April
Our Relaxed Astronomy events are designed specifically for those that may need a calmer and more flexible environment in which to learn. These events will inspire you in a safe, relaxed and unrestricted environment with quieter shows, smaller groups (max of 20 guests), safe clapping and a choice on how you choose to experience the wonders of the universe. Our red lighting will always remain on as you move around the building, brighter interior white lighting may be used in some of the rooms, our trained staff will be on hand to guide you around every aspect of your visit. The event is much less structured than our other events. There will be a short introduction to the Observatory (15 mins), after which you will get to visit our observation turrets. If weather permits and we can observe, our Astronomers will invite you to look through one of our large aperture telescopes. You will also get to discover other interactive sessions which you can dip in and out of, such as; virtual navigation of the Night Sky with handheld tablets, discover pieces of our solar system in a hands-on meteorite activity. All stations will be set up around the observatory and you will be free to roam around, get involved with the activities as you like and absorb it all in your own way. A breakout space will be provided away from activities if required. Our Observatory is designed to make your experience, an engaging, educational time, so please do feel free to ask questions and take part in as much as you can to maximise your visit. We continue to take into account the impact of Covid-19 for our visitors and work hard to ensure you feel comfortable and safe during your event. At times our astronomers may talk to the group as a whole, it’s important that you feel comfortable throughout our event so talking and movement is welcome throughout, you’re never required to sit in silence for a long period of time. Doors will open 20 mins before the beginning of the event, so you are welcome to enter and familiarise yourself with the area prior to the start time. We hope these events will be helpful to those with sensory sensitivity....
Tickets
From £28.50 per person
Next available event
Monday 5th May
Private Events
Travel through the cosmos as we bring the wonder of the dark skies to you with our inflatable planetarium. Perfect for a group setting, our astronomers will guide you across the universe with these impressive shows...
The official monthly podcast from Kielder Observatory. If you've ever wondered what happens when you fall into a black hole, if intelligent life is watching us from other galaxies, or how the North East is at the forefront of the British Space programme, then you can find out more in this series!
Each month we also update you on the things to look out for in the night.
