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Bayfordbury Observatory

Just six miles from our Hatfield campus, Bayfordbury Observatory gives astronomy and astrophysics students the opportunity to learn, observe and carry out research in a working observatory environment, gaining hands-on experience from the first weeks of their course.

Students work with optical and radio telescopes, collect real observational data and develop practical skills alongside active research in exceptional dark sky conditions. Bayfordbury is also home to one of only a handful of teaching radio interferometers worldwide, enabling students to use advanced observational techniques that are rarely available within higher education.

The Observatory's Patrick Moore Building is connected directly to the telescope domes for real-time monitoring and image analysis, while the atmospheric observatory enables students to work with data collected from instruments used to study weather, climate and astronomical conditions.

Bayfordbury is also a place where students share their passion for astronomy with others. Through open evenings, school visits and a mobile indoor planetarium, they can help inspire future scientists and bring astronomy to the wider public.