What is Bayfordbury Observatory?

The telescope domes at Bayfordbury, with the comet Comet A3 (C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) visible low in the sky.

Don't worry if you didn't get to see it. It will back in another 80,000 years!

Situated approximately 13 miles north of Canons High near Hertford, county town of Hertfordshire, the University of Hertfordshire's Astronomical and Atmospheric Physics Remote Sensing Observatory, to give it it's full official name, was established back in 1967 when Astronomy was suggested as a new course the university could offer.

Three years later it officially opened with a 16 inch telescope for visual or photographic observations.

Fast forward to 2024 and it now features 7 large optical telescopes, solar telescopes, 4 radio telescopes and a range of smaller instruments. The telescopes are housed inside the distinctively shaped, high-quality, motorised Ash domes.

"The Astronomy trip was the best experience in my life.

I recommend the trip to others who are not in the trip as it teaches you about the universe and shows you other things about our galaxy and solar system.

My favourite part was seeing Saturn through a telescope, it is fascinating seeing Saturn it looks fake but its real. Somewhere in space there is a gas planet floating in space."

 Rares 8O

The view they had of Saturn.

Don't think small, blurry image of a planet with rings around it,

Think incredible view of the most famous giant ringed planet, being seen live and with their own eyes through a huge telescope. 

Saturn is huge, about 10 times the diameter of Earth, but also 9.5 times further away from the sun than us!

(and it's the logo of their Astronomy Club!)

Thank you Mr Crook for showing us how to reach for the stars.

"I found the trip extremely fascinating and fun. I learnt so much new information. I enjoyed learning about stars and galaxies and found the trip really interesting.

I loved walking around and seeing all the telescopes and I am so glad i got to see Saturn with my own eyes. The planetarium was my favourite as the sky looked so real and cool. 

I recommend this place and I hope I get to come visit again."

Tamara P.

Inside the Planetarium

In Their Own Words (sic)

The Astronemay Trip was
THE BEST I EVER SEEN.

"I loved when i saw Sataurn and it was amazing, it was cold but fun i loved everything in the trip learning about the born of stars and death and about nebula and seeing the shapes of stars and it was so much fun and i even told everything for my family about it but the thing is, i always cant breath inside a car or a bus because of the oil and fuels inside but thanks for the trip Mr Crook and see you in Astronemay Club"

Ali A-E

Computer controlled telescope alignment

Thank you Ms Nourzai, (seen above) and Ms Waseem for accompanying our students on this successful trip, along with Mr Barrett who also drove the minibus, and of course, Mr Crook for organising the trip and running the hugely successful and popular Astronomy Club.

You are all stars! 

Canons Astronomy Club was set up many years ago by enthusiastic amateur Astronomer Mr S Crook of our IT Support Team, and has been very popular with both boy and girl students ever since.

As well as star gazing, Mr Crook and his club members have the use of normal optical telescopes, a special solar telescope and data and online connections to remote astronomical sites. Mr Crook even has a solar flare radiation detecting array set up in his office!

They also re-examine both historical and modern investigations and discoveries into the nature of our planet, solar system, galaxy and the known universe.

Club meetings are on Wednesdays after school in room CS3

Seek out Mr Crook for more info, or visit the club's special website.

https://chsafterschoolastronomyclub.weebly.com/