Join astronomers up at the Alston Moor Golf Club and Observatory on Friday 30 October 2026, 7pm to 9.30pm, for an exciting evening under the dark skies of the upper South Tyne Valley.
To begin the evening there will be a presentation: ‘From an inch to forty meters the largest telescope on Earth’, by Dr Jurgen Schmoll, from Durham University, who will draw the time line of world largest telescopes from the beginning to the 39.5m telescope just being built.
After Jurgen’s talk there will be an opportunity to see and use the Alston Moor Golf Club Observatory and, weather permitting, there will be guided stargazing.
The clubhouse will be open from 7pm – for an event start at 7.30pm. It is expected to finish between 9 and 9.30pm – with the option to continue stargazing afterwards, if conditions allow.
Note that if the skies are cloudy the event will still go ahead – with astronomers giving presentations, providing information and answering questions on dark skies and stargazing.
Refreshments will be available in the club house.
- Adult – £12 (18+)
- Children – £8 (8-18)
Please book using the link to Ticketsource
There is also the opportunity to find out about and join a new stargazing group – the Alston Moor Astronomical Society (AMAS).
Bring warm/waterproof clothes/a torch (red light if you have one) and wear suitable shoes for uneven ground. This event is aimed at children aged eight and above and adults. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
No dogs please – they are a trip hazard in the dark.
This Alston Moor Observatory event is part of the North Pennines Stargazing Festival running from 16 October to 1 November 2026 –
www.NorthPenninesStarFest.org #NorthPennStarFest26 #NPennDarkSkies
