Stargazing events

Finding stargazing events

We’ve designed our website to make it easy for you to find stargazing events. Use the events map to find events near your location, or perhaps near where you might be travelling to. If you are looking for events based on date see the event calendar. Note that our website currently features stargazing events in the United Kingdom, plans are in place for us to cover other countries too.

What to expect?

Most stargazing events are run by amateur astronomers keen to share their expertise in and enthusiasm for their hobby. You can expect to receive a friendly welcome, to be told interesting space facts, maybe have a laser-pen guided tour of the night sky and to be shown cool things through telescopes. That’s the part that everyone really enjoys, and is what Go Stargazing is all about!

What about the weather?

Of course, stargazing is weather dependent and most organised stargazing events will include a ‘plan B’ often comprising of a talk given by an astronomer on a potentially endless variety of astronomy-related subjects. Such talks are in the main all-inclusive, suitable for beginners both young and old and with the objective of sharing knowledge to a wide range of people no matter their level of experience. You can expect to be entertained even if the weather is against you!

Astronomical Societies & Clubs

The vast majority of events on our website are scheduled meetings for Astronomical Societies or Astronomy Clubs. These events make a great opportunity to find out more about astronomy, telescopes and how you might take up the hobby. All of the events we feature on our website include, weather permitting, some element of practical astronomy — that is looking up at the sky for a short guided tour perhaps with binoculars a telescope before or after the meeting.

Such meetings can, however, involve talks that are a little more advanced and cover interesting but complex subjects in some detail. From our experience, even these talks are still very much accessible to attentive adults, perhaps a little less so to younger children. It’s always a good idea to contact the meeting organiser if you are unsure. If you have a telescope take it along as it’s very likely that one of the Members will be willing to help you!

One thing you can be sure of from all societies and clubs is a warm welcome — we thoroughly recommend going along to your local meeting and giving it a go!

Find your nearest event

It’s very possible there’s an event near you, have a look at the events map!