Community visits

Visitor group

We are pleased to announce that Bayfordbury Observatory will now be offering group visits open to the general public. A blend of our popular Open Evenings and Group Visits, our Community Visits will be a 2-hour guided tour of Bayfordbury Observatory, including a talk on Astronomy by one of our Astrophysics students, a planetarium show, and an opportunity to observe some wonders of the night (or day!) sky through our range of telescopes, weather permitting.

Depending on the weather, between October and March, we will attempt to view targets in the night sky. Between April to September, we will attempt use our solar telescopes to reveal features on the Sun's surface.

Community Visits dates will be listed here and marked on our calendar as “Community Visit”. To sign up for one of our visits, please follow the link below to book a place. These visits are perfect for individuals, families or small groups that otherwise wouldn't meet the requirements for minimum numbers of our group visits. Visit contents are aimed at an audience of all ages, unless stated otherwise in the list of upcoming visits below.

What is included?

A community visit will include:

  • a talk from one of our astronomy students
  • a tour of the sky in our Planetarium
  • a peek through the telescopes at Bayfordbury (weather permitting)

Visits are typically around 2 hours in length, with a start time of 6pm. A member of staff at the Observatory will contact you in advance of your visit to confirm all the details.

If the weather is unfavourable, the group will still visit the telescopes and if at all possible, a visible object will be viewed.

Prices

  • Entry to the Observatory is £12.50 per person
  • Once availability is confirmed you will be sent a link to our secure payment page to complete your booking.
  • You will then receive a confirmation email and a reference number.
  • Booking and payment is required in advance as spaces are limited and demand is high.
  • Booking is online only and we cannot take payment on the door.

Upcoming Community Visits

  • 14th April 2023, 6pm-8pm
  • 26th April 2023, 6pm-8pm

How to request a visit

Fill in our Community Visit booking form.

You can also check our calendar for available dates (blue box marked "Community Visit"). For general enquiries or to discuss specific details of a potential community visit prior to requesting, please contact Mily Riley on e.riley@herts.ac.uk.