Astronomy Clubs in the UK and Ireland

216 astronomy clubs in the UK and Ireland

• England 171
• Guernsey 1
• Ireland 6
• Isle of Man 1
• Jersey 1
• Northern Ireland 2
• Scotland 21
• Wales 13

England: 171 clubs

Guernsey: 1 clubs

Ireland: 6 clubs

Isle of Man: 1 clubs

Jersey: 1 clubs

Northern Ireland: 2 clubs

Scotland: 21 clubs

Wales: 13 clubs

Meeting places and times change; each club's page links to its website. A dash means the list does not have that detail yet; unconfirmed clubs had no recent activity we could check, so contact them first.

23 observatories in the UK and Ireland open to the public

• Airdrie Public ObservatoryAirdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Free winter viewing sessions Tuesday nights Nov-Jan, 5:30-7 pm, plus open evenings for sky events
• Aldershot Observatory (Alexander Observatory)Aldershot, Hampshire, England. Visits by arrangement; occasional Heritage Open Days
• Armagh Observatory and PlanetariumArmagh, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Planetarium shows and exhibits; free Astropark and observatory grounds; occasional observing nights
• Bayfordbury ObservatoryBayfordbury, Hertfordshire, England. Ticketed public open evenings Nov-Mar with talks and planetarium, from 5:30 pm; GBP 20 adult, 10 child; book ahead
• Blackrock Castle ObservatoryCounty Cork, Ireland. Open daily 10 am-8 pm; adults 9 euro; exhibits, castle tours and a working radio telescope
• Cambridge Observatory (Institute of Astronomy)Cambridge, England. Free public open evenings Wednesdays 7-9 pm, Oct-Mar: talk then telescope viewing if clear
• City Observatory (Collective)Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland. Free gallery and heritage displays open daily except Mondays; restaurant on site
• Dunsink ObservatoryDublin, County Dublin, Ireland. Public visitor nights on scheduled dates, mostly autumn to spring, booked online through DIAS
• J.A. Jones Hoober ObservatoryWentworth, South Yorkshire, England. Public stargazing evenings Sep-Mar with talk and telescopes; summer Sunday solar observing
• Jodrell Bank ObservatoryGoostrey, Cheshire, England. Jodrell Bank visitor attraction with pavilions, gardens and Lovell Telescope views; ticketed
• Keele ObservatoryKeele, England. Free public open evenings Tuesdays 8-10 pm and Saturday afternoon solar viewing
• Kielder ObservatoryKielder Forest, Northumberland, England. Ticketed stargazing events most nights year-round; book well ahead
• Leviathan of ParsonstownCounty Offaly, Ireland. Viewable in Birr Castle gardens with science center; daytime admission
• Lovell TelescopeGoostrey, Cheshire, England. Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement (First Light Pavilion) open to visitors beside the telescope
• Mark II TelescopeLower Withington, Cheshire, England. Visible from Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement grounds
• Mills ObservatoryDundee, Dundee City, Scotland. Free entry Oct-Mar, Mon-Fri 4-10 pm and Sat 6:30-10 pm; planetarium shows selected Fridays; check for storm-closure updates
• Norman Lockyer ObservatorySidmouth, East Devon, England. Public open evenings on scheduled Thursdays 7:15-9:15 pm; planetarium
• Royal ObservatoryEdinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland. Winter Nights public talks and telescope viewing (ticketed) and Doors Open Days
• Royal Observatory GreenwichGreenwich, London, England. Museum, Prime Meridian and Peter Harrison Planetarium open daily; ticketed; evening astronomy events
• Sherwood ObservatorySutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England. Public open evenings, open days with solar observing, planetarium shows; check events page
• Spaceguard CentreKnighton, Powys, Wales. Guided 90-min tours Fri-Mon 10 am, noon, 2 pm; adults GBP 10, under-16 free; evening stargazing tours by booking outside BST
• UCL ObservatoryMill Hill, London, England. Occasional public open evenings
• University of Birmingham ObservatoryBirmingham, England. Public events through Astronomy in the City; ticketed via Eventbrite/TicketTailor

See observatories around the world.

Darkest places to stargaze in the UK and Ireland

• Isle of Coll Dark Sky CommunityBortle 1, Arinagour, Scotland
• Isle of Rum Dark Sky SanctuaryBortle 1, Kinloch, Scotland
• North Ronaldsay Dark Sky IslandBortle 1, Hollandstoun, Scotland
• Kerry International Dark Sky ReserveBortle 2, Ballinskelligs, Ireland
• Mayo Dark Sky ParkBortle 2, Ballycroy, Ireland

Star parties in the UK and Ireland

• AstroCampBrecon, Wales, Spring and autumn
• Dalby Forest StarfestPickering, England, Spring
• Equinox Sky CampHolt, England, Near the September equinox
• Mayo Dark Sky FestivalNewport, County Mayo, Autumn
• Skellig Star PartyBallinskelligs, County Kerry, Autumn

Inactive or unconfirmed clubs in the UK and Ireland

No recent activity was found for these 62 clubs, or they are no longer active. They may have folded, merged or simply not posted online; contact them before you go.

• East Antrim Astronomical SocietyAntrim, Northern Ireland
• Gwynedd Astronomy SocietyBangor, Gwynedd, Wales
• Furness & South Lakeland Astronomical SocietyBarrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England
• Beckington Astronomical SocietyBeckington, Somerset, England
• The Local GroupBexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England
• Bicester Astronomy ClubBicester, Oxfordshire, England
• Astronomical Society of Biggin HillBiggin Hill, London, England
• Midlands Spaceflight SocietyBirmingham, West Midlands, England
• Birr Astronomical SocietyBirr, Ireland
• Bolton Astronomical SocietyBolton, Lancashire, England
• Bracknell AstronomyBracknell, Berkshire, England
• Bracknell Dark Skies Astronomy ClubBracknell, Berkshire, England
• Bridgwater Astronomical SocietyBridgwater, Somerset, England
• Callington Astronomy GroupCallington, Cornwall, England
• Border Astronomical SocietyCarlisle, Cumbria, England
• Coleshill Astronomy SocietyColeshill, Warwickshire, England
• North Wales Astronomy SocietyConwy, Wales
• Tolcarn Astronomy ClubCornwall, England
• Central Midlands StargazersCoventry, Warwickshire, England
• White Peak Astronomical Observing GroupDerbyshire, England
• South Dublin Astronomical SocietyDublin, Ireland
• Deise Astronomy SocietyDungarvan, Waterford, Ireland
• Cam & Dursley Astronomy ClubDursley, Gloucestershire, England
• Earby Astronomical SocietyEarby, Lancashire, England
• South Essex Astronomy GroupEssex, England
• Euxton AstronomyEuxton, Lancashire, England
• Cody Astronomical SocietyFarnborough, Hampshire, England
• Farnham Night SkyFarnham, Surrey, England
• Folkestone Astronomy ClubFolkestone, Kent, England
• Goole Astronomy ClubGoole, East Yorkshire, England
• Seven Sisters Astronomy GroupHailsham, East Sussex, England
• Helensburgh Astronomical SocietyHelensburgh, Argyllshire, Scotland
• Golden Valley Astronomy AssociationHerefordshire, England
• Herne Bay Amateur Astronomical SocietyHerne Bay, Kent, England
• Kildare Astronomical SocietyKildare, Ireland
• Shetland Astronomical SocietyLerwick, Shetland, Scotland
• Landsend AstronomersLondon, England
• Long Itchington ObserversLong Itchington, Warwickshire, England
• Raygill Astronomy ClubLothersdale, North Yorkshire, England
• Open Skies AssociationEngland
• UK Cloud MagnetsEngland
• East Midlands StargazersNottingham, East Midlands, England
• Rutland Astronomical SocietyOakham, Leicestershire, England
• Oldham & Rochdale AstronomyOldham, Greater Manchester, England
• Papworth Astronomy ClubPapworth Everard, Cambridgeshire, England
• Foredown Tower AstronomersPortslade, East Sussex, England
• Sandy Astronomical SocietySandy, Bedfordshire, England
• North Lincs Astronomy SocietyScunthorpe, Lincs, England
• Offa's Dyke Astronomical SocietyShropshire, England
• Exmoor StarGazersSomerset, England
• South Shields Astronomical SocietySouth Shields, Tyne & Wear, England
• Roseland Observatory SocietySt Stephen, Cornwall, England
• Stanion & Northants Astronomy GroupStanion, Northamptonshire, England
• Stornoway Astronomical SocietyStornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland
• Sutton Coldfield Astronomical ClubSutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England
• Theydon Bois AstroKydsTheydon Bois, Essex, England
• Tiverton & Mid Devon Astronomical SocietyTiverton, Devon, England
• Carmarthenshire Astronomy ClubTrimsaran, Carmarthenshire, Wales
• Warminster Astronomy ClubWarminster, Wiltshire, England
• Slaneyside Astronomical SocietyWexford, Ireland
• Worcester Astronomical SocietyWorcester, Worcestershire, England
• Yorkshire AstronomyYorkshire, England