High School, Academy Road, Stirling
Image: Wikimedia Commons
A historic observatory sits on the roof of the former Stirling High School on Academy Road, Stirling, Scotland, now the Stirling Highland Hotel.
About the observatory
The dome houses a Newtonian reflecting telescope, roughly 135 years old, with a 12.5-inch primary mirror and a 9-foot focal length, set beneath a copper dome. It is owned by Stirling Council and cared for and operated by the Stirling Astronomical Society, which is primarily an architectural and educational feature rather than a working research observatory.
Location & getting there
The observatory is in the Europe region, in Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, on the roof of the historic school building on Academy Road.
Visiting the observatory
Stirling Astronomical Society runs tours of around 30 minutes. Reaching the dome requires climbing a 90-step spiral staircase, so there is no disabled access. Check with the society for current tour dates before visiting.
See your named star from here
Climbing 90 steps to a copper-domed telescope more than a century old is a memorable way to look for a star of your own. If you've named a star with Star Register, bring the coordinates from your certificate on a Stirling Astronomical Society tour and see if you can trace it. Search the star catalogue to find your star first.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
