TEESDALE is reaching for the stars after the opening of a state-of-the-art observatory in the upper dale.
The public will get the chance to see the wonders of the universe with weekly events thorough the year at Grassholme Observatory, which features a robotic telescope that has the same optical system used by the Hubble space telescope.
Star-gazers will be able to study cosmological regions beyond the Milky Way. They’ll be able to see clouds, gas and planets inside our own solar system, along with shooting stars, astroids and, closer to Earth, the International Space Station. The project, launched by Northumbrian Water last week, is being led by one of the North East’s best known astronomers, Gary Fildes, who founded and ran Kielder Observatory in Northumberland.
Mr Fildes, a former Sunderland brickie whose love of the cosmos led him to become an astronomer, said: “I’ve worked 18 years at Kielder and this is my next venture. It’s a very exciting opportunity.
“Grassholme is really accessible – it’s not too far from Sunderland and Newcastle and is easily reachable from places like Leeds.
“The skies here are as dark as I have seen in the UK. Grassholme Observatory is perfectly placed to be a one-stop destination for all things astronomy.
“Kielder really encouraged dark sky tourism and we’re going to bring that to County Durham.”
Grassholme Observatory has been developed in an underutilised building that has been refurbished on the reservoir site, alongside a new purpose-built facility.
The retractable roof opens up to the stars and a computer guides the telescope into pinpoint position to see individual planets or stars.
“It really is a beautiful and extremely accurate piece of kit – it’s research grade and its capacity is phenomenal,” said Mr Fildes.
The first public events are due to take place on Friday, August 21. Tickets were selling fast within hours of the launch of the observatory.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, numbers will be limited to 15, but the aim is to have several events a week each with a different topic – covering aspects as varied as the northern lights to how gravity works.
An education room has been created above the main visitor centre and Mr Fildes hopes to work with local schools as well as individual and family visitors.
David Hall, Northumbrian Water’s head of leisure and transformation, said: “We know that visitors to Teesdale already get to witness some of the most beautiful landscapes that Earth has to offer. Now, Grassholme Observatory means they also get to see stunning images from across the universe, and enjoy learning about astronomy from a really knowledgeable team.
“This development is in line with our strategy to attract more visitors to our sites and to showcase the great environment, countryside and dark skies we are proud to protect.
Mr Hall said the observatory would encourage more visitors, especially in the colder winter months when visitor numbers typically decrease, boosting accommodation providers and pubs.
Mr Fildes, who has been awarded an honorary masters degree from the University of Durham and a fellowship from Sunderland University for his contributions to astronomy, said: “The Comet NEOWISE, which was a recent landmark of the night skies up in Teesdale and beyond, has really whetted the appetite of the public, and our new public observatory will be able to meet the demand.”
The observatory will open from Wednesdays to Sundays, offering late night sessions on the weekends. Private and corporate events will also catered for.
Visit https://bookwhen.com/grassholmeobservatory.
