Bayfordbury

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Bayfordbury, Hertfordshire is the location of the University of Hertfordshire's observatory, and biology/geography field station. The site also houses the Science Learning Centre for the East of England, which, amongst its activities, runs on-site Astronomy Days for primary schools, using their in-house planetarium and the nearby telescopes. Also located here is a large stately home, now privately owned, which used to house the curator of the observatory. The estate is approximately 50 Ha on the south side of the B158.

[edit] Astronomical Observatory

The university has numerous telescopes situated at the site, including the 50cm Marsh refractor (named after a former director of the observatory), a 14" Newtonian, a radio dish, a solar telescope, and numerous equatorially-mounted 16" Meade LX200s with SBIG ST8 or ST9 cameras. Sir Patrick Moore was on hand to open a new control building, named after him, from where the computer-controlled telescopes can be operated. Dr. Bob Forrest is currently curator of the observatory.

[edit] External links

• Observatory
• Science Learning Centre East of England