Aldershot Observatory

Aldershot Observatory is a small, Grade II listed dome standing on Queens Avenue in Aldershot Military Town, Hampshire, England, home to an early 20th-century refracting telescope that has watched the English sky for well over a century.

About Aldershot Observatory

The observatory is a circular red-brick building with a domed roof, built to house an 8-inch (203 mm) refracting telescope on a German-type equatorial mount. A clockwork drive, adjustable in rate, keeps the telescope tracking the stars for about two hours before it needs rewinding.

History

The telescope and building were a gift to the British Army from aviation pioneer Patrick Young Alexander in 1906, commemorated by a plaque near the observatory door reading: "Presented to the Aldershot Army Corps by Patrick Y Alexander Esq 1906." Aldershot has been home to the British Army since around 1854, and the observatory has remained part of that military town ever since.

Telescopes & research

The centerpiece is the original 8-inch equatorial refractor, still mounted on its clockwork-driven German mount over a century after it was installed, a rare survivor among early 20th-century amateur and military instruments in the UK.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits on Queens Avenue in Aldershot, Hampshire, in the south of England within the historic military town. It is now cared for by the Farnham Astronomical Society, whose members maintain the telescope and open the dome for occasional public events.

Visiting Aldershot Observatory

Aside from infrequent public open evenings and Heritage Open Days, the observatory is visited by arrangement only. The Farnham Astronomical Society, which meets monthly at Aldershot Cricket Club, can be contacted for enquiries about arranging a visit.

See your named star from here

Because Aldershot Observatory's telescope can be pointed at any set of coordinates on a clear night, a star you name through Star Register can, in principle, be located and viewed through instruments like this one. Explore the star catalogue or name a star to get the RA/Dec coordinates you would give an astronomer here.