Starting this month, the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium has launched a series of Legendary Telescopes Tours. The tour takes you on a journey through the Armagh Observatory, giving you a fascinating insight into see its historic telescopes.
Armagh Observatory opened in 1790 and is now a Grade A listed heritage building in which astronomers still undertake fundamental research, and the oldest observatory in the UK and Ireland continuously in use for its original purpose. Inside the Observatory there are four generations of historic telescopes that remain in their original settings, as well as one modern telescope still used today.
Each tour is undertaken by an expert guide who will tell you about these telescopes and how they were used for pioneering science in their day.
Heather Alexander, Senior Education Officer at Armagh Planetarium and Observatory says: “Our new Legendary Telescopes Tours provides a great opportunity for people to gain a wider understanding around the work our astronomers today continue to carry out on site. We have a vast amount of unique stories to share and discover along the way. You can get your picture taken with the Grubb 10 inch and get up close and personal with the century-old Calver telescope.
“We hope these new tours will extend our visitor experience and demonstrate how much history is housed here. Plus, how the history of tomorrow is still actively being discovered and defined here in Armagh.”
Tours are running now until the 5th of September with an exclusive summer rate of £15pp. Groups are limited to 5 people plus 1 tour guide. Extras include 20% off products in Café and 10% off selected products in the Gift Shop. Book tours today via: https://www.armagh.space
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium reopened in June following closure due to Covid-19. Learn more about the new updates made to the attraction, adding to its visitor experience.