Research

The site at Hanwell sports good skies, both in terms of the transparency and the seeing. On a good night one can easily see with the naked eye, the dust lanes in the Cygnus region of the Milky Way; with full dark adaption, 'North America Nebula' (NGC7000) becomes plain, and in the Autumn skies, the full oval of M31 Andrommedae. On the darkest nights, the greatest extension of the Andromeda galaxy is traceable in a 11X80 finder to a full 3 degrees. The 'Veil Nebula' is an easy object in the 12.5" - the visual limit of which on the darkest nights is about magnitude 15.5. Similarly, subarcsecond seeing is also relatively common, enabling the 12.5" Newtonian to reach its full telescopic resolution limit. We hope that observations with the two larger instruments being currently mounted and built - the 14" and the 30" will continue to extend the feats of high resolution visual astronomy already being achieved.

We have compiled material detailing visual observations of double stars and the planets: Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn and deep sky objects from the observation logbooks of Christopher Taylor to give a good idea of what an experienced observer at the site, using a 12.5" instrument can expect to see from the site.

 

Amateur and Professional opportunities

While the site and its instruments will be made available for hosted star parties, we are open to the possiblity of making the site, and particularly the 30" f/6 Newtonian (when complete) available for serious amateur and professional research. For more information please contact:

The Hanwell Community Observatory
c/o 25 Lincoln Road
Oxford
OX1 4TB

- but please include a sae!

or by email: info@hanwellobservatory.org.uk

with details of your particular subject of interest and intended research programme.

B&B accommodation near the site can also be arranged at the normal rates. For hardier astronomers, overnight tent-pitches are available on the property for a small fee, about 400 yards from the nearest vehicle access.