Airdrie Public Observatory

Housed inside Airdrie Library in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Airdrie Public Observatory is one of only four public observatories left in the United Kingdom, and among the oldest.

About Airdrie Public Observatory

The observatory is owned and funded by Culture NL and operated on the council's behalf by the Airdrie Astronomical Association (AAA), a local astronomy club and registered charity formed in 2009. Its curators are AAA members who keep the historic dome and telescope in working order for public use.

History

Airdrie's observatory tradition dates back to 1896, when Glasgow eye doctor Dr Thomas Reid gave the town its first telescope, a 3.25-inch refractor. In 1925 the library and observatory moved to their current Wellwynd building, and the observatory's current telescope was acquired at that time. Glasgow-based astronomy society ASTRA ran the observatory from 1977 until the AAA took over in 2009, continuing a public stargazing tradition now well over a century old.

Telescopes & research

Visitors look through a 6-inch Victorian refractor, a historic instrument that still gives good views of the Moon and planets.

Location & getting there

The observatory is built into the Airdrie Library building on Wellwynd, in the centre of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Visiting Airdrie Public Observatory

The observatory opens to the public by request and for scheduled events, with the Airdrie Astronomical Association hosting open evenings between November and January and welcoming group visits by arrangement. Check the AAA's website for the current events calendar before travelling.

See your named star from here

A Victorian refractor pointed skyward is exactly the kind of setting where a named star comes to life. If you've named a star with us, bring its coordinates from our star catalogue to an open evening and ask the AAA volunteers whether it's visible.