We host educational activities and events for schools at the Alston Observatory. If you are a representative for a school (either primary or secondary) and would like to get in touch with our availability, please contact alstonobservatory@uclan.ac.uk
History of Preston Astronomy
The history of our observatories and astronomy in Preston can be found here.
Alston Observatory
The Alston Observatory is the purpose-built teaching and public outreach facility of the Jeremiah Horrocks Institute. It comprises a group of both modern and historical telescopes, a new Discovery Dome planetarium system and an exhibit on Telescopes as Time Machines funded by the Royal Astronomical Society.
Our centerpiece is the brand new Moses Holden Telescope, a 70 cm diameter state-of-the-art robotic telescope used for both undergraduate teaching and to encourage public engagement in science. Alongside the MHT we also have a range of smaller robotic telescopes ranging in size from 20 to 30 cm in diameter. Additionally we host the historic Wilfred Hall Telescope on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Moor Park Observatory
The Moor Park Observatory is a recently renovated public outreach observatory situated on Moor Park in the city of Preston.
