Virtual Night Sky Tours
Watch this space for the return of Night Sky Tours later in the year
Astronomy Talks
Watch this space for the return of Astronomy Talks later in the season
Special Events
Watch this space for details about our forthcoming special events
Events
Watch this space for details about our forthcoming events
Work With Us
We have a team of Observatory Educators, who work on a casual basis. Their role is to deliver our schools and public programme, which includes:
- Delivering outreach sessions for local schools
- Running activities for schools and uniformed groups visiting the observatory
- Leading tours of the observatory for private groups and public events
- Presenting talks and demonstrations for a variety of audiences
Currently the team consists of science communicators, undergraduate and postgraduate astronomy students, amateur astronomers and retired staff of the Observatory.
We are always interested to hear from people who might like to join the team. You need to have enthusiasm for science, in particular astronomy, and some experience of public speaking, working with the public or science communication. You do not necessarily need to be an expert in astronomy, as we provide training in specific astronomy topics that we cover.
If you are interested in working with us, please email us expressing your interest and attach a copy of your CV.
Events at the Royal Observatory
October to June
Normally we run astronomy related events from October to June each year. These include:
Talks from engineers and astronomers
A beginner’s guide to what you can see in the night sky at this time of year, including highlights chosen by local astronomers.
Occasionally we run special events with partners around Edinburgh and as part of wider festivals or events.
Covid 19 Announcement
Online Events
We are not confirming any new group bookings at the current time, and there are no public events taking place on site. We have however been able to transition a number of our events online while our site has been closed due to the pandemic.
Look out for our programme of online events starting in October.
We have previously recorded events available to watch again on our Vimeo channel.
Virtual Night Sky Tours
Watch this space for the return of Night Sky Tours later in the year
Virtual Night Sky Tours
A beginner’s guide to what you can see in the night sky at this time of year, including highlights chosen by local astronomers.
Special Events
Occasionally we run special events with partners around Edinburgh and as part of wider festivals or events.
Visit the Observatory
Secondary school classes can arrange a visit to the Observatory site which best suits their needs and interests. We can offer workshops suited to secondary school pupils on exoplanets, galaxies and stars, arrange for pupils to meet one of our researchers or engineers and view our collection of historic manuscripts including first editions of works by Kepler, Galileo and Newton.
Please use the booking link below to express your interest and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss in more detail what we can offer.
If you are part of a home education group, please get in touch with us directly on 0131 6688 404 to discuss your needs.
Booking Information
Visiting Times
Schools can visit the Observatory on Mondays and Wednesdays and can choose between a half-day session or a full-day session with use of our lunch space.
| Session Type | Times |
|---|---|
| Half-day visit | 10:00-12:00 or 13:00-15:00 |
| Full-day visit | 10:00-15:00 |
Requirements
- We require a ratio of at least 1 accompanying adult for every 8 children.
- The minimum group size is 10, and we can accommodate up to 40 people in total. i.e. 35 children plus 5 accompanying adults.
- Due to the lack of coach parking and insufficient space for turning, coaches are strongly discouraged from coming up the hill. We recommend you discuss this with the coach driver prior to starting the journey to avoid problems on the day. If you have access requirements please get in touch so we can discuss the best way to get to the site.
Book Here
We Can Visit Your School
If you can’t come to us, we can visit your school with our outreach programme if you are within a two hours drive of Edinburgh. (For more distant schools, please phone us to discuss options.) Our mobile planetarium programmes can be tailored to any level, and are offered as part of a half-day (2 hour) or full-day (4 hour) visit.
Activities
Outreach sessions last between 30-45 minutes, and can be arranged to best suit your school’s needs and schedule.
Planetarium Sessions
Please note the planetarium requires a room at least 7m in diameter and 3.2 m high; it cannot be used outside. A school hall or gym is usually ideal.
The maximum group size for the planetarium is 25 for secondary pupils.
We require a minimum of 1 hour to set up and 30 minutes to take down the planetarium and this time must be taken into account when scheduling.
Please see our Planetarium Guide [Word/19 KB] for full details.
If you would like to arrange a planetarium visit for secondary pupils, please contact us to discuss your requirements
Booking Information
Visiting Times
Schools outreach visits are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We offer half-day (two hour) or full-day (four hour) visits.
| Session Type | Times |
|---|---|
| Half-day outreach | By arrangement |
| Full-day outreach | By arrangement |
Requirements
- At least one teacher / responsible adult must accompany children at all times.
Book Here
Astronomy Questions
Tell us your questions about astronomy and engineering and we’ll do our best to get back to you with an answer. We’ll also feature the best questions on our website and as part of our display at the Visitor Centre.
Here are some examples to get you thinking!
The closest star to our sun is Proxima Centauri at 4.2 light years away. It was identified by the Scottish astronomer Robert Innes in 1915. Proxima Centauri is in the southern skies. In the Northern Hemisphere the closest star we can see with the naked eye is Sirius, which is 8.6 light years away.
Yes! If there weren’t then the Moon and planets would fly off into space. Gravity is what keeps the planets orbiting around the Sun, and the Moon orbiting around the Earth. On the surface of the Moon the gravity is much weaker than on Earth. This is why astronauts can jump much higher on the Moon.
Inside the Sun, hydrogen atoms are combining to form helium, the gas that makes party balloons float. This is called nuclear fusion and it releases a lot of energy. Most of this energy is given off as infra-red waves, which we feel as heat. This is very different to how a fire burns to make heat.
