Cody Astronomical Society

About

The Cody Astronomical Society hosts monthly public lectures presented by industry or academic experts in the Whittle Theatre at the Cody Technology Park. They also host smaller, more informal presentations at the Observatory as part of their basic astronomy science education programme. The observatory was built by the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough in 1966 as part of rocketry projects involving stellar navigation. The dome was designed from scratch by David Mayhead of RAE and this has kept the equipment safe from the elements for nearly 60 years.

Individual Membership of the Cody Astronomical Society has many benefits: Invitations to all meetings, including monthly seminars on a wide range of topics. A set of introductory seminars are run on a regular basis to help newcomers get up to speed on topics such as Navigating the Night Sky, the Moon, Planets of the Solar System, etc. More advanced topics are presented by a range of experts, typically from higher educational and research establishments across the UK.
Members can borrow books from the society’s library of astronomical publications. They may also use and borrow equipment such as telescopes from the society when available, at the discretion of the Committee. Members will receive the monthly newsletter and are notified of, and may participate in, any special events such as visits to other locations of interest. Membership also allows access and use of the society telescopes & observatory, subject to a satisfactory training period and at the discretion of the Committee.

About Cody Astronomical Society

The Cody Astronomical Society are a friendly local group of enthusiastic people interested in the science of the night sky, the stars and planets, and all aspects of modern and historical astronomy. Their base is at the observatory in Cody Technology Park close to Farnborough airport in Hampshire. The Society holds regular meetings on a variety of interesting and educational topics open to all members. They also host observation evenings when the viewing conditions are good. Members can use the observatory, telescopes and binoculars belonging to the society and their own equipment to view the night sky while mixing with friends socially. They also offer an educational outreach function to popularise astronomy to external groups such as scouts and schools. They present and display images and equipment at local events.

Good to know

User Cost/Charge Information
Membership costs only £20 per year. The membership year runs from September but new members can join at any time. Due to the site access restrictions, members must pass a security check.