Clanfield Observatory Open Evening February 2018

[Jonk]

I was given 2 tickets for Christmas, for an open evening at the Hants Astro Observatory in Clanfield on Saturday the 24th of February. The largest amateur observatory in the UK.

I took my brother along and haven't been there for maybe 15 years.

Last time I went, they had a 24" newt in their largest dome, which has since been replaced with a custom 24" RC, at a cost of around £100,000. The mirrors alone were in the region of £40k if I remember correctly.

Here's the website photo:

As it was an open evening, that they hold regularly, it had a lot of beginners and generally nosey people there, but in our group, I think I was the only one who had a clue about what was going on. I asked some questions about the kit, and one I asked was about the focal length. It's 4.8m at around 610mm diameter, making it around f/7.9. Wow.

The didn't have an eyepiece, rather a dslr with live view, which they demonstrated on the trapezium in M42, as it was the obvious object available due to the waxing gibbous moon very close by if I remember. They then showed a couple of NGC galaxies with up to 30 second exposures only just to demonstrate images to the gathered few (around 20 of us in the dome).

The above photo doesn't do it justice, it's huge!

I tried a couple of photos on the phone but didn't have a wide enough fov.

After abnout 20 minutes in here we went into the 2nd dome to swap with another group. to have a look at the 5" long fracs from the end of the 1800s.

The details on on their website  here -> http://www.hantsastro.org.uk/tour/5inch.php and they were trained on the moon, 1 full disc, the other a bit further in. There was minimal false colour due to the FL and I actually ended up taking 1 woman through the scope and had to apologise to the member in the dome for stealing his thunder! Luckily he didn't mind.

Here are my phone images of these 2 large fracs.

We then went into the 3rd dome, which houses a 7" Astro Physics frac -> http://www.hantsastro.org.uk/tour/7inch.php

This was trained on M42 and then moved to Betelguese to demonstrate star colour.

I didn't get a chance to take a photo.

After this, there was tea and biscuits in the clubhouse and a basic presentation on the types of objects observed and imaged at the observatory, which was very good for beginners.

They also have some very good allsky cameras on the roof and meteor detection running 24/7.

One of the members there (a lovely older lady, I forget her name) had a 150mm ED binoscope which gave good views of the moon. I tried to find the Leo Triplet in the moonlight but couldn't, and that's all I had time for.

All in all, a good visit, and it's basically the same as I remember, apart from the new 24"RC replacing the newt.

When I got home I couldn't help but go into my obsy and feel very deflated looking at a Star 71 sat on an AZ EQ6! Size does matter believe me!!

If anyone is fairly local to Clanfield (a few miles north of Portsmouth), or doesn't mind a journey I would recommend a visit as it's only £10, and if cloudy you can visit again for free.

Although we had the moon out and many contrails / milkiness, we were lucky to actually see something.

Give it a go.

[Fredster1970]

Really interesting and great photos. All changed since my days as a member back in the 1980’s. I spent many a night as a 16 year old using the 5” Cooke refractor. I had to cycle 18 miles in the dark to get there.

They had no money back then. There was a 16” Newt in the main dome, a 12” Newt in another dome. All hand figured. The 16” mirror was replaced with a 20” but that was found to have a turned down edge. So they reverted to the 16”. No one wanted to use the Cooke refractor.  I used to get that scope and dome all to myself. Great days indeed.

May have to go back for a visit. 

[Jonk]

Interesting you mention membership, I'm on the waiting list, and looking at 3+ years.

I think if the opportunity arises, anyone should go to an observatory, not just to look at objects through big scopes, but to admire and talk about the equipment up close.

[Red Dwarfer]

1 hour ago, Jonk said:

The largest amateur observatory

It looks like a great place to visit . Serious kit for an amateur observatory !

[Peter Drew]

Excellent report. I was particularly interested in the 7" Starfire and its observatory. Along with Rob Miller I built and installed the observatory at the home of Douglas Arnold. I also cut several inches off the main tube of the 7" so that Douglas could use binoviewers on it. Don't tell Roland Christen!  

[Fredster1970]

1 hour ago, Jonk said:

Interesting you mention membership, I'm on the waiting list, and looking at 3+ years.

I think if the opportunity arises, anyone should go to an observatory, not just to look at objects through big scopes, but to admire and talk about the equipment up close.

3+ years to be a member, that is crazy. Things really have changed. I left the group in the early 1990’s as it became too regimented for my liking. No longer had a hobby feel to it, more like a small business. Which is fine, the way they wanted to go. I joined a small group on Portsdown Hill instead. I think that one has folded now. Then we moved Southampton way so joined Solent for a while.

[Jonk]

I work with someone who also used to be a member, but left after similar issues.

I won't mention his name on here but he's in his 50s now and still loves the hobby.