Trent Astronomical Observatory

Trent Astronomical Observatory sits on Nottingham Trent University's Clifton campus in England, giving students and the public alike a serious set of instruments for exploring the night sky.

About Trent Astronomical Observatory

The observatory was built in 2006 and is recognised by the International Astronomical Union with its own observatory code, J06. It is used by NTU students for coursework, projects and extracurricular observing, as well as for outreach to local schools and the wider community.

Telescopes & research

Its main instrument is a 20-inch modified Newtonian telescope, described as the largest telescope in the UK dedicated to student use on a university campus. A secondary 14-inch Meade LX200 telescope supports additional observing, and the site also houses a 2.3-metre Cassicorp radio telescope used for continuum studies and 21cm neutral hydrogen spectral line observations.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located on Nottingham Trent University's Clifton campus, in the East Midlands of England.

Visiting Trent Astronomical Observatory

The observatory runs monthly Open Dome events for the public, alongside outreach activities for schools and community groups. Check the university's website for upcoming dates before visiting.

See your named star from here

With one of the UK's largest student telescopes and a radio dish on site, Trent Astronomical Observatory is a fitting place to think about the exact coordinates of your own named star. Browse the star catalogue to see how it's recorded.