| Observatory and Open Nights |
The club’s observatory at Toothill is located in a relatively dark site just outside Southampton, see map below.
It opens to the public on the dates in the table below. You will see that weekend sessions are now arranged in pairs, with a “primary” and a “back-up”. The primary will take place, weather permitting, but the back-up will only take place if the corresponding primary sessions were both clouded out. Each session is open ended, we stay until we’ve had enough or the weather closes in.
No need to book, just turn up.
Members admitted free. Non-members: adults, recommended donation £5, children free.
Cash payments only, please. No cards
Toilets and free parking are available.
The observatory contains:
- 14″ Meade telescope
- 8″ Celestron HD Edge
- 6″ Celestron Nexstar SE
- 20 x 80 binoculars
- Computer with desktop planetarium
| Timetable of Open Nights – 2026 | |||
| Dates | Open Time | On View | Moon State |
| January Primary Dates: Fri 23rd, Sat 24th Back-up Dates: Fri 30th Jan, Sat 31st Jan | 7:30 pm | Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Andromeda Galaxy, Open Clusters, Orion Nebula, M45 | Moon 23% set 22:28 – 32% set 23:49 Back Up: Moon 92% 30th 97% |
| February Primary Dates: Fri 13th, Sat 14th Back-up Dates: Fri 20th Feb, Sat 21st Feb | 7:30 pm | Jupiter, Uranus, Andromeda Galaxy, Open Clusters, Orion Nebula M45 | No Moon Moon 11% set 21:36 – 19% set 23:01 |
| March Primary Dates: Fri 13th, Sat 14th Back-up Dates: Fri 20th Mar, Sat 21st Mar | 8:30 pm | Jupiter, Uranus, Andromeda Galaxy, Open Clusters, Orion Nebula, M45,M44 | No Moon Moon 3% set:20:40 – 8% set 22:10 |
| April Primary Dates: Fri 17th, Sat 18th Back-up Dates: Fri 24th Apr, Sat 25th Apr | 9:30 pm | Jupiter, Uranus, Orion Nebula. Globular Clusters, Open Clusters. | No Moon Moon 42% set 03:24 – 64% set 03:45 |
