AIRDRIE PUBLIC OBSERVATORY
BACKGROUND:
Airdrie Public Observatory is a unique, historical and traditional part of Airdrie.
Being one of only four such municipal Public Observatories in the United Kingdom, Airdrie is the smallest of the Public Observatories and it dates back to 1896.
Interestingly, the other public observatories are all to be found in Scotland and they are located in:
Edinburgh, Paisley and Dundee.
The Observatory is located above Airdrie Public Library and is a facility owned by North Lanarkshire Council and carefully ran in partnership with ASTRA since 1977
EQUIPMENT:
Airdrie Public Observatory is a fully functioning and working observatory. It houses Victorian equipment including the Dr Thomas Reid 3¼" Refracting Telescope manufactured in Paris Circa 1850.
It also houses modern equipment including a 9¼" Celestron, a 5" Bresser as well as other scopes and binoculars
The Dr Thoma Reid Telescope
FREE LECTURES FOR INTERESTED GROUPS : Is your group or society interested in a free visit to the observatory? Perhaps you would like ASTRA to visit you where we would be happy to present a lecture or workshop on the subject of Spaceflight and Astronomy?
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VISITING THE OBSERVATORYVisits to the Observatory can be arranged in two ways.1. The observatory is open to the public every Friday evening and will be used (subject to clear weather conditions). Please contact either Paul Clark or Duncan Lunan (Observatory Curators) or alternatively come along to one of ASTRA's Friday meetings held in Airdrie Arts Centre (map and directions) between 7:30pm and 9:30pm.
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