Chilbolton Observatory

Chilbolton Observatory is a major UK research site for atmospheric and radio science, located near the village of Chilbolton, close to Stockbridge in Hampshire, England.

About Chilbolton Observatory

The observatory is run by the STFC Radio Communications Research Unit of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, part of the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council. Its work focuses on clouds, rainfall, boundary-layer atmospheric processes, aerosols and satellite tracking.

History

Chilbolton Observatory opened on 14 April 1967, built on the site of a former Second World War airfield, and has operated as a dedicated research facility ever since.

Telescopes & research

Its centrepiece instrument is CAMRa, a 25-metre steerable S-band Doppler weather radar, one of the most capable weather radars of its kind. The site also hosts the UK's station in LOFAR, the pan-European Low-Frequency Array radio telescope network, extending its reach from weather physics into radio astronomy.

Location & getting there

Chilbolton sits in the Hampshire countryside in southern England, in Star Register's Europe region, on open land that once served as an airfield, well suited to a large steerable radar dish.

Visiting Chilbolton Observatory

As an active scientific research facility, Chilbolton Observatory is not a standard walk-in tourist attraction. Check the official STFC Chilbolton website for any open days or public engagement events before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

Chilbolton's LOFAR station shows how precise coordinates let researchers point instruments at exact spots in the sky. A star named through Star Register comes with its own right ascension and declination, ready to be found by any telescope pointed the right way. Name a star or explore the star catalogue.