Royal Observatory Edinburgh
Edinburgh
As well as being an historic site, The Royal Observatory Edinburgh is a working observatory which houses nearly 140 staff and students. It encompasses two organisations: The UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) which includes the Higgs Centre for Innovation and the Institute for Astronomy (IfA). The UK ATC is part of UK Research and Innovation, and the IfA is part of the University of Edinburgh.
Engineers at the UK ATC design extremely sensitive cameras and other instruments for many of the world’s best telescopes and for the big telescopes of the future. They are also finding innovative ways of using this technological expertise in fields outside of astronomy, including earth observation and medicine.
The research of scientists at the IfA tackles many of the big questions in astronomy, including the search for life-bearing planets and studying the oldest and most distant objects in our universe.
Free online pre-booking through Eventbrite required.
Activities
Activities across the weekend include:
- Speak with Astronomers
- Talk to Engineers
- Astronomy crafts
- Hear from exciting start-up companies
- Handle meteorites
- Telescope dome tours
Facilities
Gallery
Key Information
Free online pre-booking through Eventbrite required. Tours of the Victorian telescope dome will run every 15 minutes during the day. Tours are very popular and visitors are not guaranteed a place on these as part of their visit. The rest of the site can be explored at will. Last Entry to site at 15:45
Where to find us
Address
- Blackford Hill
- Edinburgh
- EH9 3HJ