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
Astronomy Outreach with Sutton-at-Hone School
We welcomed the Children of Sutton-at-Hone Primary school to the Dick Chambers Observatory on the 12th December 2018. They had a chance to look through the Peter Hindle telescope and from the photos it looks like they had a great time, whilst learning a bit about the science of Astronomy. Parental permission given for all images used. [Show...
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 – 27th Sept 2024
On Friday 27th September 2024 several CMHASD members helped out at Shears Green Junior School Cosmic Camp. Chairman John Archer wrote ”First of all I really want to thank all of the team who supported our evening of outreach last Friday 27th. Once again we attended Cosmic Camp at Shears Green Junior School and were greeted by an...
CMHASD Solar Observing at Hall Place & Gardens – 5th May 2024
NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely. On Sunday 5th May 2024 the team from CMHASD set themselves up for the first of our two Solar Observing events at Hall Place & Gardens and what a glorious day it was to be out solar observing. Members of the public were invited to do some solar...
Janice Receives the Lydia Brown Medal from the BAA
Janice received the Lydia Brown medal from the BAA in recognition of meritorious service to the Association in an honorary capacity over many...
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...
CMHASD Stargazing at Hall Place, Bexley – Wed 22nd Nov 2023
On Wednesday 22nd November 2023, CMHASD were back at Hall Place & Gardens to hold a star gazing event from 7pm to 9pm. We had brilliant support from our members who bought along a variety of telescopes, cameras, meteorites and other displays for our guests. CMHASD Chairman John Archer wrote ”Last week at Hall Place we had one of...
CMHASD supporting the BAA at New Scientist Live – ExCel London 2023
Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society Dartford (CMHASD) were out in force at the recent New Scientist Live event at ExCel Centre, London Docklands on the 7th to 9th October 2023. We were there to help the British Astronomical Association (BAA) on their stand over the 3 days to promote the BAA and answer questions from members of the...
CMHASD Solar Observing at Hall Place – 19th August 2023
NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely. On Saturday the 19th of August several members of the Society were present for the second of our 2 solar observing sessions at Hall Place & Gardens. Below are some photos of the day. Thank you to Dr Mike Rushton, Honor Wheeler, Jim...
Solar Observing at Hall Place & Gardens – Sunday 6th August 2023
NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely. Sunday 6th August 2023 – What a glorious day to be out solar observing which is what Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society Dartford (CMHASD) where doing at Hall Place & Gardens in Bexley. What a busy day it was too! Several telescopes were...
CMHASD Star Gazing at Hall Place & Gardens – 2022, Nov 30.
On Wednesday 30th November 2022, CMHASD were back at Hall Place & Gardens to hold a star gazing event. We had brilliant support from our members – thanks to all – who bought along a variety of telescopes, cameras, meteorites and other displays for our guests. We had over 33 ticket-holders to entertain and those who arrived early...
Partial Solar Eclipse – 2022 Oct 25 – Open Morning at the Pavilion
NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely. On Tuesday 25th October 2022, CMHASD held an Open Morning at the Parsonage Lane Pavilion for members & members of the public to view the rare spectacle of a Partial Solar Eclipse visible from the UK. It turned out to be an absolutely fantastic day and...
CMHASD supporting the BAA at New Scientist Live 2022
Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society Dartford (CMHASD) were out in force at the recent New Scientist Live event at ExCel Centre, London Docklands on the 7th to 9th October 2022. We were there to help the British Astronomical Association (BAA), in which we have many members; on their stand in the Cosmos Section this year. ...
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...
CMHASD Solar Observing at Hall Place & Gardens – Saturday 20th Aug 2022
NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely. On Saturday the 20th of August several members of the Society were present for the second of our 2 solar observing sessions at Hall Place & Gardens. The event took place on the patio with a small farmers market close to the gallery so there was a...
Solar Observing at Hall Place, Bexley – Sun 7th Aug 2022
Sunday 7th August 2022 – What a glorious sunny day to be out Solar Observing which is what Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society Dartford (CMHASD) where doing at Hall Place in Bexley. What a busy day it was too! Several telescopes were set up to observe the Sun safely and members of the public were invited to do some solar...
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...
Dartford Grammar School Astronomy Club – Virtual Observing Session
Our society currently supports the Dartford Grammar School Astronomy Club, and on the 25th January 2021 we held a virtual observing evening using Simon’s observatory. The students really enjoyed the evening ‘The boys from last night have been on the google classroom leaving you rave reviews’ ‘Last night blew...
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...
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