astronomy.org.gg

The Astronomy Section of La Société Guernesiaise meets weekly on Tuesdays at 8pm through most of the year, and visitors are welcome — both at scheduled open events and at meetings, which the section describes as beginner-friendly. The one condition to plan around: observing sessions depend on the weather, so a clear forecast is what turns a talk-and-discussion evening into a telescope evening.

Meeting schedule at a glance

"Most of the year" is the section's own phrasing, so if you are travelling to Guernsey specifically for a Tuesday meeting, check the current newsletter or contact the section beforehand rather than assuming a session every week of the calendar.

What a Tuesday evening involves

Meetings are not a single fixed format. Depending on the week, you might get a talk from a member or an invited speaker, a discussion, a hands-on practical activity, or an observational session — the last of these only when the sky cooperates. That mix is useful if you are new: you can attend several weeks and see talks, practical work and observing without committing to equipment or prior knowledge.

The section explicitly frames its meetings as beginner-friendly, which matches its stated membership position: it welcomes everyone with an interest in the night sky, "from absolute beginners to experienced astronomers."

Can visitors attend?

Yes, in two distinct ways:

• Scheduled meetings and open events. The section states that visitors are warmly welcomed to its scheduled meetings, and it opens the observatory for visiting groups and open events. A listed example is a Halloween evening at the Observatory on Friday 30 October.
• Group visits. The site has a dedicated group visits route, so organised groups (schools, clubs, societies) can arrange a visit rather than simply turning up.

As a charity, the section appreciates voluntary donations from visiting groups to help with costs. Note that this is described as a donation toward running costs, not a ticket price — the site does not publish an admission fee, so do not assume entry is either free or charged.

Practical points before you go

1. Confirm the week. Because meetings run "through most of the year," verify the date on the Newsletters page or via the contact form before making a trip.
2. Check the weather if you want observing. Talks and discussions go ahead regardless; telescope time does not. If observing is your main goal, a cloudy Tuesday will not deliver it.
3. Know what is on site. The observatory houses a research-grade 16-inch Meade telescope and a 5-inch Takahashi refractor on a computer-controlled mount, inside a timber-framed building with a roll-off roof — so there is serious equipment to look through when conditions allow.
4. Consider membership if you become a regular. Section membership costs £15.00 per calendar year (starting 1 January) and requires membership of the parent organisation, La Société Guernesiaise. Members get regular emails about upcoming activities and the annual Sagittarius Newsletter. For occasional visits, the visitor route is the simpler starting point.

The short answer

Turn up on a Tuesday at 8pm during the active season, or watch for open events like the Halloween observatory evening — visitors are explicitly welcomed, sessions suit beginners, and the only real variable is whether the weather allows observing that night.

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The Astronomy Section is the astronomy branch of La Société Guernesiaise (LSG), a Guernsey charity founded in 1882. The section runs the David Le Conte Astronomical Observatory and is an active group of roughly 60 members, welcoming everyone from absolute beginners to experienced astronomers. It is the place to look if you want to observe the night sky in Guernsey, attend beginner-friendly talks, or join a local astronomy community.

What the Section Does

The section was founded in 1972 and maintains the David Le Conte Astronomical Observatory, which it opens for visiting groups and public events. Its members' interests span the whole field of astronomy: the Solar System, deep-sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae, cosmology, astrophotography, and the history of astronomy.

The observatory is equipped for both education and observation, with:

• A research-grade 16-inch Meade telescope
• A 5-inch Takahashi refractor on a computer-controlled mount
• A timber-framed building with a roll-off roof

The section is a member of the British Astronomical Association and the Federation of Astronomical Societies.

Meetings and Activities

The section meets weekly on Tuesdays at 8pm through most of the year. Meetings include talks by members or guest speakers, discussions, practical activities, and observational sessions when the weather allows. The section describes all of these as beginner-friendly, and visitors are warmly welcomed to scheduled meetings.

Membership: Cost and Requirements

Current and previous newsletter editions are available on the section's Newsletters page.

Who It Suits

The section fits you if you live in or visit Guernsey and want a structured, friendly route into practical astronomy — whether you are starting from zero or already observe seriously. Because joining requires LSG membership as well, expect to join the parent charity first, then the section. If you only want to look through a telescope before committing, visiting a Tuesday meeting or an open observatory event is the lower-commitment path; the section asks visiting groups for voluntary donations to help with costs.

Where to Find More

The website (astronomy.org.gg) includes a gallery covering the Moon, planets, comets and meteors, conjunctions, the Sun, and deep space, plus an all-sky camera, a contact form, group visit information, and pages for newsletters, articles, and ISS updates. Use the contact form or the Find Us page to confirm meeting details or arrange a group visit before travelling.

The David Le Conte Astronomical Observatory is the observatory run and maintained by the Astronomy Section of La Société Guernesiaise (LSG) in Guernsey. Its main instruments are a research-grade 16-inch Meade telescope and a 5-inch Takahashi refractor on a computer-controlled mount, housed in a timber-framed building with a roll-off roof. The facility is used for education and observation, and the section opens it for visiting groups and public events.

Who runs the observatory

The observatory belongs to the Astronomy Section of LSG, a charitable organisation founded in 1882 to encourage study of the history, natural history, geography and geology of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, conserve its natural environment, and preserve its historic buildings and monuments.

The Astronomy Section itself was founded in 1972 and is an active group of roughly 60 members. It welcomes everyone with an interest in the night sky, from absolute beginners to experienced astronomers, and members' interests span the Solar System, deep-sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae, cosmology, astrophotography, and the history of astronomy.

Equipment and building at a glance

The roll-off roof design means the building can be opened up to the sky for observing sessions rather than relying on a rotating dome.

How the observatory is used

The section opens the observatory for visiting groups and for open events, so the equipment is not limited to members' private use. As a charity, the section appreciates voluntary donations from visiting groups to help with costs. The site also notes seasonal public events — for example, a Halloween evening at the observatory advertised on its homepage — which is a useful indication that open evenings are scheduled around the calendar rather than running on a fixed nightly basis.

Getting involved

• Meetings: The section meets weekly on Tuesdays at 8pm through most of the year. Meetings include member or guest talks, discussions, practical activities, and observational sessions when weather allows, and are described as beginner-friendly.
• Visitors: The section states that visitors are warmly welcomed to its scheduled activities.
• Membership: Joining the Astronomy Section requires also being a member of the parent organisation, LSG. The annual subscription is £15.00, running for one calendar year from 1 January. Members receive regular emails about upcoming activities and the annual Sagittarius Newsletter, with current and previous editions available on the Newsletters page.
• Affiliations: The section is a member of the British Astronomical Association and the Federation of Astronomical Societies.

Practical points to check before visiting

The published material does not list opening hours, booking procedures, or whether group visits carry a set fee beyond the note about voluntary donations. If you are planning a visit — particularly as a group — use the contact form or the "Find Us" page on the section's website to confirm dates and arrangements. For anyone deciding whether to join, the key conditions are the Tuesday 8pm meeting pattern, the requirement to hold LSG membership alongside the £15 section subscription, and the fact that observing depends on the weather.

To join the Astronomy Section of La Société Guernesiaise, you must first be a member of the parent organisation, LSG, and then pay the section's annual subscription of £15.00. The subscription runs for one calendar year starting 1 January. In return you get regular emails about upcoming activities and the annual Sagittarius Newsletter.

Membership requirements at a glance

The section describes itself as an active group of approximately 60 members, founded in 1972, and welcomes everyone with an interest in astronomy. Members' interests span the Solar System, deep-sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae, cosmology, astrophotography, and the history of astronomy.

What to do before you pay

The site states the LSG membership requirement but does not publish the LSG subscription rate or a step-by-step sign-up form on the pages summarised here. Before paying the £15.00 section subscription, confirm two things with the section:

1. Your LSG membership status — whether you are already a member, or need to join LSG first.
2. The current joining route — how the section wants to receive your details and payment.

The site's Contact page includes a contact form, which is the natural place to ask both questions.

What membership gives you

• Weekly meetings: Tuesdays at 8pm through most of the year, including talks by members or guest speakers, discussions, practical activities, and observational sessions when weather allows. The section describes these as beginner-friendly.
• The Sagittarius Newsletter: an annual publication with astronomical data and insights for the year ahead. Current and previous editions are viewable on the Newsletters page, so you can sample it before joining.
• Access to observatory activity: the section runs the David Le Conte Astronomical Observatory, equipped with a research-grade 16-inch Meade telescope and a 5-inch Takahashi refractor on a computer-controlled mount, housed in a timber-framed building with a roll-off roof. The observatory opens for visiting groups and open events.

A practical way to decide

If you are new to astronomy, the Tuesday meetings and beginner-friendly framing make the £15.00 subscription a low-cost way to try the group before committing more time. If you are mainly interested in the newsletter, check the Newsletters page first — if the published editions give you what you need, you can judge whether full membership adds enough value. Either way, the LSG membership requirement is the first thing to settle, so start with the contact form.