Clanfield Observatory sets autumn talks and open evenings
The Hampshire Astronomical Group has published its October to December 2026 programme of public talks at Clanfield Memorial Hall and open evenings at the observatory.
The Hampshire Astronomical Group, which runs Clanfield Observatory on the border of Horndean and Clanfield, has listed its autumn 2026 events on its website, which was showing the programme on 5 October 2026.
Open evenings at the observatory
The group's public open evenings for the coming months are on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, and Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December 2026. Each starts at 7:15pm and is themed around the Moon and Saturn. The website shows the dates as sold out.
The group says the evenings begin with a presentation on visitor safety, followed by an observing session with telescopes and binoculars, refreshments and a short illustrated talk. If the weather is bad the event still goes ahead with an observatory tour, refreshments and the talk, and visitors are invited back free of charge to complete the observing on another clear night. Prices are listed as £18.00 for adults and £8.00 for children, with a lower age limit of eight.
Dates for January to April 2027 have also been set, starting with Sunday 17 January 2027, and tickets are sold through Ticket Tailor. The group says new dates for September to December 2027 will be uploaded on 15 September 2027.
Monthly public talks
The group's monthly public talks are held at Clanfield Memorial Hall, South Lane, Clanfield, PO8 0RB, and start at 8:00pm unless stated otherwise. The listing shows Friday 9 October as to be announced, Friday 13 November as Radio Cosmology by Prof David Bacon of the University of Portsmouth Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, and Friday 11 December as a talk on aurorae by Dr John Mason of the South Downs Planetarium, marked as to be confirmed. Admission is £4 for non-members and £2 for under 16s, and the group says there is no need to book unless stated.
For the full programme, ticket links and safety advice, see the Hampshire Astronomical Group website and its open evenings page. Questions about bookings can go to visits@hantsastro.org.uk.