Amateur Astronomy for Beginners

A six-week Tuesday-evening course at the National Maritime Museum teaching beginners how to observe the night sky, use telescopes and start astronomy as a hobby.

Run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and tutored by Greg Smye-Rumsby, this six-week evening course covers choosing and using telescopes, setting up and aligning equipment, identifying targets and planning observing sessions. It builds a solid understanding of how the night sky changes through the year, and also touches on amateur contributions to scientific research and an introduction to astrophotography. Sessions run on-site at the National Maritime Museum while the Royal Observatory undergoes renovation, with access to museum galleries and resources. The course is for adults aged 18+ and suits those with access to their own telescope, though this is not required.