When to visit

You can have an enjoyable time at the Observatory day or night, rain or shine, winter or summer. Our public events (see “Schedule“) are some of the best times to experience what the Observatory has to offer and we aim to have public events regularly throughout the year. There are also a limited number of paid, private events that can be arranged (see “Programs and Events”).

If stargazing is your key goal, then please consider the following:

  • Stargazing requires clear skies. While we cannot predict the weather on any particular night long beforehand, there are some general trends that you can take into account. Weather systems are such that we typically have many more clear nights from about the last half of May until early October, with August having the highest probability of clear skies in London. From October until the end of April, clear evenings are quite rare unfortunately.
  • A Full Moon is very bright and makes it harder to see faint objects. Moreover, the Full Moon is not nearly as spectacular through our telescopes as a First Quarter or crescent Moon.
  • Some objects are only visible in specific seasons (e.g. the Orion nebula is only visible in winter) and visibility of the planets is different every year. If you are especially interested in seeing a particular object, consult with one of our astronomers to find out when to visit.
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May 2026
May 02
02 May 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

May 09
09 May 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

May 16
16 May 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

May 23
23 May 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

May 30
30 May 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

June 2026
Jun 06
06 June 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Jun 13
13 June 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Jun 20
20 June 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Jun 27
27 June 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

July 2026
Jul 04
04 July 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Jul 11
11 July 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Jul 18
18 July 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Jul 25
25 July 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

August 2026
Aug 01
01 August 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Aug 08
08 August 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Aug 15
15 August 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Aug 22
22 August 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Aug 29
29 August 2026

Join us for a public night at Cronyn Observatory! These free, drop-in events welcome curious minds of all ages to explore astronomy in a fun, relaxed setting. Each night features […]

Please note that the Observatory is not open every day, we open up only during scheduled events.