Telescopes for beginners | free mobile app | Smart telescopes

Basingstoke Discovery Centre

Basingstoke Discovery Centre

Festival Place Shopping Centre, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 7LS

Best time to visit

Basingstoke Discovery Centre is a private location and is only accessible out of normal hours for stargazing by prior arrangement or when public events are scheduled.

Weather forecast

  • 17/07/26

    28° 7%

  • 17/07/26

    28° 8%

  • 17/07/26

    27° 2%

  • 18/07/26

    23° 1%

Weather forecast for Basingstoke (0.2 miles away) updated 17/07/26 at 06:01. Powered by Met Office data.

Local light pollution

Basingstoke Discovery Centre is estimated to have light pollution levels similar to an urban location based on the latest data from the VIIRS satellite. For more advanced light pollution data, view this location on DarkSkySites.

The above demonstrates the estimated effect of light pollution - graphics created using Stellarium.

Light pollution map of Basingstoke Discovery Centre

Best time to visit

The Moon has a big impact on the visibility of celestial bodies in the night sky. Try to plan your stargazing when there is no bright Moon at night as this is when the skies will be at their darkest.

The below chart shows when the skies will be at their darkest at this location and therefore the best time to visit. Moonlight is shown in light yellow and the Sun's twilight in light blue. Midnight on the date shown is shown as a white line with sunset to the left and sunrise the next morning to the right. A black background with stars shows the best times for stargazing. See our dark sky calendar for more details.

Moon phase on Fri 17th Jul

Fri 17th Jul

Waxing Crescent
9 % illuminated
Dark from 21:58 to 02:24
Dark for 4h 25m
Moon phase on Sat 18th Jul

Sat 18th Jul

Waxing Crescent
17 % illuminated
Dark from 21:56 to 02:26
Dark for 4h 29m
Moon phase on Sun 19th Jul

Sun 19th Jul

Waxing Crescent
26 % illuminated
Dark from 22:08 to 02:29
Dark for 4h 21m
Moon phase on Mon 20th Jul

Mon 20th Jul

First Quarter
36 % illuminated
Dark from 22:20 to 02:31
Dark for 4h 11m
Moon phase on Tue 21st Jul

Tue 21st Jul

First Quarter
45 % illuminated
Dark from 22:35 to 02:33
Dark for 3h 58m
Moon phase on Wed 22nd Jul

Wed 22nd Jul

First Quarter
55 % illuminated
Dark from 22:53 to 02:35
Dark for 3h 42m
Moon phase on Thu 23rd Jul

Thu 23rd Jul

First Quarter
65 % illuminated
Dark from 23:17 to 02:37
Dark for 3h 20m

Find more dates

If you are planning to visit this location check our dark sky calendar to find out when is best!

Calendar

Events nearby

Display nearby events on a calendar

  • Solent Amateur Astronomers meeting

    Tuesday 21st July 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:00pm

    Oasis Academy, Southampton, SO16 8FA (27.5 miles away)

    More info

  • 2026 Solar Eclipse Cruise to Spain from Southampton with Fred. Olsen Cruises

    Monday 10th August 2026 from 12:00pm to Thursday 20th August 2026 12:00pm

    Southampton Cruise Terminal, Southampton, SO14 3GG (28.9 miles away)

    More info

  • Farnham Astronomical Society meeting

    Tuesday 11th August 2026 from 19:30pm to 21:30pm

    Aldershot Cricket Club, Aldershot, GU12 4BP (14.9 miles away)

    More info

  • See the partial eclipse and Perseids meteors at Toothill Observatory

    Wednesday 12th August 2026 from 18:00pm to 23:00pm

    Toothill Observatory, Southampton, SO16 8AL (26.4 miles away)

    More info

  • Solar Eclipse: Live at the Winchester Science Centre

    Wednesday 12th August 2026 from 18:00pm to 20:30pm

    Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium, Winchester, SO21 1HZ (16.0 miles away)

    More info

Stay and gaze nearby

Stay at one of these stargazing-friendly accommodation providers.

  • Wild Camping Wiltshire

    Dark Lane, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 3FZ, South West England (24.3 miles away)

    Stay & Gaze

    More info