Lancaster observatory

Lancaster's current observatory, the Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Observatory, sits on the roof of the Physics Department at Lancaster University in northwest England, continuing a tradition of public astronomy in the city that dates back more than a century.

About Lancaster Observatory

The Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Observatory is named for the mathematician and amateur astronomer who donated its original telescope. It opened on 20 May 2002 and was formally opened by the broadcaster and astronomer Sir Patrick Moore.

History

Lancaster has a longer observatory history than its current facility suggests. The Greg Observatory operated in Williamson Park from 1892 to 1960, opened on 27 July 1892 by Lancaster Corporation as a public observatory - one of the earlier municipal observatories of its kind.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's main instrument today is a pier-mounted Celestron CGE1400 XLT, a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, which replaced the original 11-inch Celestron donated by Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits on the Lancaster University campus in northwest England.

Visiting Lancaster Observatory

As a university facility, public access is generally through organised open evenings and events - check Lancaster University's physics department for current details before visiting.

See your named star from here

With a 14-inch telescope on site, the observatory's operators can help you locate specific sky coordinates on an open evening. If you've named a star through Star Register, bring your certificate's RA/Dec and check the catalogue to see exactly where it sits.