News & Announcements
What to expect at a telescope evening for the first time
A lot of people come to their first telescope evening not quite sure what they are going to see. The answer depends on the night, but it is almost always more than they expected. Here is how the session works and what to bring.
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Why people keep coming back
A real dome, not a screen
Our 12-metre tilted dome wraps 180 degrees around you. The projection system runs at 8K resolution, so the Milky Way looks like the Milky Way, not a smear of pixels.
Live narration every show
Every session has a live presenter who can pause, zoom in, answer questions, and follow the room's curiosity. No two shows are quite the same.
Telescope evenings on clear nights
On Friday and Saturday evenings we roll out the telescopes and, weather permitting, you can look at real objects in the real sky. Saturn, Jupiter, double stars, whatever is up.
School programmes tied to the curriculum
Our education team has built sessions mapped to Key Stage 2, 3, and 4 science. Teachers get a pre-visit resource pack and a follow-up worksheet.
Small group sizes
Public shows are capped at 60 seats. Private hires go down to groups of 10. You will not feel like you are in a cinema queue.
A few words from us
Laura Silverwood
Laura Silverwood spent eight years as a science communicator at a regional observatory before deciding she wanted to build something of her own. She trained in astronomical imaging at a summer institute in Nagano and later ran public outreach programmes for a university astronomy department in Tokyo, where she discovered that the moment a child spots Saturn's rings for the first time is the most reliable thing in the world. That realisation led her to open Astro Haven in 2017. Outside the dome, she keeps a small allotment and reads a lot of science fiction she describes as "mostly wrong but always inspiring."
Common questions
Can I book tickets on the day, or do I need to book in advance?
You can buy tickets at the door on the day, but public shows do sell out, especially on weekend afternoons in summer. We recommend booking online at least a day ahead for Saturday and Sunday shows. Weekday and Wednesday evening shows usually have space.
What happens to the telescope evening if it is cloudy?
If the sky is completely overcast we bring the telescope session inside and run an extended dome show instead, covering the same objects we would have looked at outside. You do not need to check the forecast before you come; we adapt on the night and let ticket holders know by email by 19:00.