Public Outreach

 

Visits to the Dick Chambers Sutton-at-Hone Observatory

Visits to the Dick Chambers Sutton-at-Hone Observatory are now available for schools & clubs.
Please contact our Secretary Dr. Mike Rushton by email for details.
The email address is secretary@crayfordmanorastro.com

Please note that visits to the observatory are subject to the weather/viewing conditions and member availability to host.

Below is a list of clubs/schools that have visited the observatory:

 

Sutton-at-Hone Primary School

Sutton-at-Hone Beavers

Sutton-at-Hone Scouts

Sutton-at-Hone Cubs

MIND

Sutton-at-Hone Guides

9th Dartford Cubs

9th Dartford Beavers

1st Brigden Cubs

 

 

The 9th Dartford Cubs visit

The 9th Dartford Cubs visit to the Dick Chambers Sutton-at-Hone Observatory On the 16th March 2016, the 9th Dartford Cubs visited the Dick Chambers Sutton at Hone Observatory. CMHASD members Rita Whiting, Andy Barber, Steve Goldstone & Honor Wheeler were present. Honor spoke about the Stars & Solar Observing, Rita spoke about the Solar...

Public Events

The purpose of these events is to provide an opportunity for members of the public to look through our telescopes* generally at the Sun (please note safety) as most events happen during day light hours and the planets and Moon if available.

We also provide activities for children, advice to youngsters taking GCSEs in Science and in Astronomy, Scout and Guiding groups on Astronomy badges and adults on the use of their telescopes or how to start out in this fascinating science of astronomy.

Generally we will have on show telescopes of various types and sizes, binoculars, meteorites and our own work.

On an average day we can expect to speak to well over 100 people and share views through our telescopes with many, many more.

 

*All equipment provided for public use is owned by our members – as our society funds do not extend to paying for such equipment.

 

Below are a list of public events we have attended. More are to be added.

Shears Green Junior School – Cosmic Camp 2023

Several society members attended Shears Green Junior School on Friday 15th September 2023 with their own or a society telescope to take part in the school’s ‘Cosmic Camp’.  The Society would like to say a big thank you to all the members who helped make this event a success. Member Diane Clarke who attended the event wrote ”Earlier in...

Cosmic Camp 2022

Several society members attended Shears Green Junior School on Friday 23rd September 2022 with their own or a society telescope to take part in the school’s ‘Cosmic Camp’.  Below are 2 accounts of the evening by CMHASD members Diane Clarke and Gary Hunt who both helped at the event. Diane wrote ”The Society was invited for its...

Dartford’s Big Day Out – July 2022

On the 16th July 2022 Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society Dartford  (CMHASD) exhibited at Dartford’s Big Day Out in Central Park, Dartford.     It was an extremely busy & interesting day.  Several members of the public took the opportunity to drop by for a chat, observe the current activity on the surface of our...

Cosmic Camp 2021

Eight society members attended Shear Green Junior School on Friday 17th with either their own or society telescopes (6 in total) to take part in their ‘Cosmic Camp’. We observed the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn and put on two different Astronomy activities in the school hall related to the solar system. seventy five, nine to ten year-old...

Star gazing at Hall Place

It was horizon – horizon cloud last Wednesday for the sold out star gazing event at Hall Place, however we were prepared for this and along with comet making, we held sessions on drawing objects in the night sky and a variety of talks about astronomy. We had brilliant support from our members – thanks to all – who bought a...

“Fun Palace” event at Bexleyheath Library

As part of our public outreach, a few of us represented the Society at a “Fun Palace” event at Bexleyheath Library on Saturday. These relatively low-key events are intended to showcase small, local interest groups such as arts & crafts, therapies, lizard / snake keeping and in our case, all things Astronomy!   We had a...

Solar Observing at Hall Place Summer 2019

A big thanks to everyone who supported both of the recent Hall Place Solar Observing events which were an exciting mixture of hide and seek as far as the sun was concerned, but both in their own way very successful. We had sideways rain at 1100 yesterday (18th August 2019), so we set displays up indoors for about half an hour, after which we...

Back to Basics Workshop

We hosted The 2018 British Astronomical Association Back to Basics workshop on 6th October. These workshops are great for beginners just starting out in astronomy and wanting to learn how to use their telescopes or get started in Astronomy and over 50 people turned up – well done and thank you to all the Crayford Members who helped out....

Astronomy Fun Day at the Priory Centre Dartford

The Society took part in an Astronomy Fun Day on Saturday 25th August 2018 at the Priory Shopping Centre to promote Astronomy, and encourage locals to visit the shopping centre, the day was well attended and along with CMHASD was an inflatable planetarium. During the day we were promoting the BAA Back to basics workshop  we are supporting in...

Below are more events we have attended in the past. If written in blue click on it to see more information & photos of the day. 

 

CMHASD Star Gazing at Hall Place, Bexleyheath – Wednesday, 11th January 2017

Sutton-at-Hone Parish Council Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration – Sunday 12th June 2016

The Transit of Mercury Open Day 2016 – 9th May 2016 

Stargazing 2 – Oct 2015

Dartford Festival 2015

Mote Park, Stargazing 2015 

Dartford Show 2014

Dartford Show 2013

Danson Park 2011

Danson Park 2010

Dartford Show 2010