Kielder Observatory

We went to Space Kids - rockets and more recently and it was absolutely fantastic. My husband and I enjoyed it along with our son, who came out smiling and inspired. The whole event was fabulous and there was a good mix of talking and doing if that makes sense. The team were approachable, chatty and talented. The observatory and surroundings are beautiful too. Highly recommended!

Visited here after booking many months in advance and we had a magical night. We booked the tour starting at 2300hrs and finishing at 0200hrs so a late night but so worth it. Fortunately, the night was crystal clear and dry for us and the starry sky was simply amazing; we have never seen anything like it! This was such an experience, the guides were knowledgeable, helpful and entertaining. We followed their advice and wrapped up warm and were glad we did, it was freezing, but the hot chocolate and sessions inside near the log fires were welcoming and warming. It has inspired us and we’ll be looking at doing something similar in the future. Would highly recommend.

A must visit for astro enthusiasts! Tickets - Book well in advance, the best ones are sold out quickly (e.g. shows that are close to a meteor shower or late night from 12-3am) Getting there - We drove down from Edinburgh and it takes about 2-3 hours each way. Stunning landscapes along the way and some beautiful forest roads leading up to the mountain where this observatory is located. The path becomes narrower as you go up but fairly comfortable. The Observatory Experience - They have regular shows based on different themes followed by a tour of the place and some free time. The content is great, it’s also beginner friendly. The people who work here are warm and a pleasure to talk to. They have some nice meteorite samples, a wide range of telescopes, and merch you can buy at the end. Weather - This is the variable with highest impact on your overall experience given that it’s usually cloudy or raining making live observations impossible. However, the experience is worth it no matter the weather conditions. The journey is the reward, the hot chocolate is the cherry on top and if you have nice weather consider yourself blessed!

Excellent!!! Proper geek mode I was in You can see the northern lights from there! Great staff with fountains of knowledge and know how Wonderful powerful telescopes Unfortunately after a 3 hour tour and educating talk the skies were cloudy and I got to see completely nothing!!ggrrrrrr But I did get to stand on a piece of Martian rock so I get to say I've stood on Mars which I literally did!!!! Telescope views of the milkywsy available if clear weather presents itself but.... Hot drinks served for free with any ticket bought Great products on sale. Rare meteorites etc Wonderful experience which I highly recommended you do if you get the chance Situated in the heart of keldler forest the uks biggest man-made forest with views to are inspire tou I'm returning next year to hopefully see ... something next time Brilliant family day out it really is Go try it and hopefully see for yourselves

We chose the late night experience, which started at 11pm with a welcome and a short presentation. We were then split into 3 groups of 10, and our group went out onto the deck first. This was lucky, as for the first hour, we had completely clear skies. Our guide had lots of information, and because of the nearly full moon, we looked at the craters of the Moon through the telescope. We also had a good look at the stripes on Jupiter and its moons. Our guide was happy to answer questions and name the constellations above, and he helped us to take photos using the telescope and our own phones. The next rotation for us was a welcome hot chocolate; it was -2°c and despite warm clothes, our feet were freezing. This was followed by a demonstration and a look through a more powerful telescope. Our last rotation was in the rotating turret, this time led by a lovely, enthusiastic astrophysicist. All the guides were very knowledgeable, but they kept the information they shared at an appropriate level for amateurs. One extra highlight for us was being able to say that we'd stood on Mars (we stood on a piece of a meteorite that is thought to have come from Mars!) This is a fantastic experience and the second time we have visited the observatory; the first time several years ago we had bad weather and we had a lecture instead of looking through the telescopes. It really is a lottery.

Kielder Observatory is located in one of a limited number of dark zones in Europe. These are ares where light from buildings is limited at night to minimise light pollution. The observatory is located atop a hill in the extensive Kielder forest and is accessed via a gravel and pitted road that is wide enough for just one vehicle. The observatory is funded by charitable donations and is run by a small team of staff with varying backgrounds in astronomy, solely for the public. The daily program runs from 9pm to about 12pm. There are video presentations that are very professionally prepared and are both entertaining and packed with cosmological information. Each is about half an hour long, informal and interactive. There are two telescopes that can be directed to any object and are computer controlled. Everyone gets to view the celestial body most suited to being viewed at that time through the telescope with the guidance of a staff member. Cloudy skies would make live demonstrations problematical but with several hours and the whole of the night sky available to star gaze there will always be something to see. It is a brilliant experience for everyone from children to grown ups.