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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September 2023
Sep 30
30 September 2023
Nicolaus Copernicus 550th Birthday Celebration

Join us between 7:30 to 11:00pm for a special event celebrating the 550th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus' birth. The event will feature guest speakers Professor Pauline Barmby and Professor Gordon […]

Free
October 2023
Oct 14
14 October 2023
Partial Solar Eclipse

On Sat Oct 14, 2023, London will experience a partial solar eclipse. The eclipse will start at 11:51am and reach a maximum at 1:07pm. At that time, almost 43% of […]

Free
Oct 21
21 October 2023
International Observe the Moon Night

International Observe the Moon Night is a time to come together with fellow Moon enthusiasts and curious people worldwide. Everyone on Earth is invited to learn about lunar science and […]

Free
November 2023
Nov 25
25 November 2023
Public Night

Join us between 7:00 to 9:00 pm and have your chance to look through telescopes, talk to astronomers and ask them questions. No registration is required, you can come and […]

Free

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