Observatory in Hesketh Park Open Day

Saturday 20th July 2019 is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and successful landing of the Eagle module on the surface of the Moon.

To celebrate this remarkable event Southport Astronomical Society will be opening the observatory in Hesketh Park. There will be a model of the Saturn V rocket on display, a working Orrery -which is a mechanical replica of the Solar System – plus leaflets about the Moon, Sun, planets and Milky Way.

The observatory will be open from 10:30 until 4pm. There are some steep steps to climb to enter the observatory.

Members will also be on hand to talk about the telescope and the history of this Grade 2 Victorian observatory and to answer questions on a wide range of astronomical topics of interest to visitors.

Members of both the Astronomical Society and Fernley Observatory Heritage Group will be on hand to talk about this first moon landing, and explain just how close it came to being aborted in the last few seconds before it’s successful landing.

For more information please visit our website: https://southportastro.org/ and our Facebook and Twitter accounts.