Is there life outside of earth?  A question which has perplexed humans for eons, we now creep ever closer to uncovering the answer to that very question. Each year, more and more planets surrounding other star systems are being discovered, with new technologies we can now begin analysing those planet's atmospheres in the hunt for signs of life. How do we know?  How many worlds are there?  Which of them could sustain life?  During this event we will uncover the methods and technology which make it possible for us to discover these new worlds, more formally known as Exoplanets, meaning Extra Solar planets. Throughout this introduction to planets beyond Earth, our team will guide you through the origins of discovering other worlds and up to date discoveries, changing as the weeks go by.  This is a hot topic of science research and one that our team love talking about. During the event you will take a tour of the observatory with stargazing as the priority when the weather permits.  During your tour you will discover light, its uses throughout the universe and how we capture it with our large aperture telescopes.  You will also get hands on with rocks from the origins of our solar system and worlds beyond our own. We will introduce you to some techniques we use help you navigate the night sky. 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 of supporting 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.   Important information about events   Will it be cold? Even during the summer it can get cold in Kielder, winter can be especially cold, minus figures are not uncommon late at night. Please make sure to wrap up warm. Warm rooms are provided for your comfort, but if it is a clear night and we are observing you may be in outside temperatures for up to 2 hours.   Can we see things in summer? If weather permits, in the summer months we can still observe despite the lighter evenings, including the moon, brighter planets, binary star systems, beautiful star clusters and breathtaking noctilucent clouds.   How might things look through the telescope? The magnification we use on our telescopes typically ranges between 50 - 150 x. Sufficient for us to make out features of some of the largest planets in our Solar System, and picking our faint distant galaxies. Looking through a telescope is very different to images captured using astrophotography techniques and by institutions such as NASA, ESA and others. Images such as this can take hundreds of hours to produce using very sensitive techniques, using billions of pounds worth of instrumentation, in the best possible conditions. The difference is, looking thorough our telescopes with the naked eye is how astronomy was completed up until only the turn of the 20th Century. Your view through our telescopes is better than many of the trailblazers who first used instruments such as this to uncovered the mysteries of our universe. ...

Tickets

From £28.50 per person

Next available event

Thursday 8th May

Wherever we are in the world, when we gaze up at our night sky we can see that the universe is filled with tiny little lights of varying brightness from horizon to horizon Here at the Kielder Observatory, under the Gold Tier Dark Sky Park of Northumberland and Kielder Water, stargazing on a clear night in midwinter with no moon present in the sky, we can see more than 3,000 stars with just the naked eye. But what are these things we call stars and what is their purpose? We'll take you through the life cycle of a star, from how they're formed to nuclear fusion and even what happens when a star dies.  They are integral to our universe and we'll show you exactly how. Taking you on a journey around our unique observatory, we will discover ways in which we view our universe, uncover the mysteries of light and how it has helped shape our understanding of the universe. On clear nights we will focus on using our high-powered, large aperture robotic telescopes housed inside their turrets as well as our smaller manual telescopes under a blanket of stars on the observation deck.  Our team of expert astronomers will be on hand to navigate you around the night sky to objects of interest such as the Moon, Double Stars, Clusters, Planets, Galaxies and Nebulae depending on the lunar calendar. On nights when observation isn't possible, we will look at the ways ancient astronomers navigated and developed meaning behind what they saw in the heavens.  We will take you on a virtual tour of our skies, learning constellations and what they mean to us as observers.  You will also be able to explore our collection of fragments of rock fallen to earth, frozen in time from the very origins of our solar system. Even in the summer months we can still observe despite the lighter evenings, including the Moon, brighter planets, binary star systems, beautiful star clusters and the 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 of supporting our charity further by taking home a memento of your visit to the observatory from our gift shop Whatever the weather, our team of experienced and passionate astronomers will deliver a unique experience...

Tickets

From £35.00 per person

Next available event

Friday 9th May

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

Friday 9th May