Welcome to the Hanwell Community Observatory!
What we do
HCO comprises a group of amateur observers promoting astronomy in the community. Whether you have private or educational interests in the subject, our aim is to make astronomy accessible to you. We welcome public and school groups to star parties and other events that will open up the Heavens and share with you the wonders of the cosmos. As participants in the International Year of Astronomy 2009, we hope to give you a richer experience of the Universe beyond the Earth.
About the Observatory
The permanent site at Hanwell, Oxfordshire, was chosen for this project for various reasons. We have access to a dark site in a rural setting, in grounds covering about 20 acres. The regular use here of the McIver Paton telescope since 1992 has proven the suitability of the site. Group and educational star parties for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education began in 1996. An observing club (Ad HOC) was started in 1998 and the following year, HCO was launched. The site is now home to a set of permanently mounted telescopes, all designed to be weatherproof. The instruments are designed to be used entirely in the open air with no observatory building.
About this website
This website is currently in the final stages of development and will feature much more in the next few weeks. Look out for more information about Observatory activities, history of the Hanwell castle site and our exciting Astronomy blog. Feedback is much appreciated, so please let us know if you experience any problems with the site or if there is something you would like to see here.