The Cody Observatory
The observatory was built by the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough in 1966 as part of rocketry projects involving stellar navigation. The dome designed from scratch by David Mayhead of RAE and this has kept the equipment safe from the elements for nearly 60 years.
The dome houses a 6" Carl Zeiss Coudé refractor telescope in excellent condition. It is a very stable viewing platform, as it is fixed to a huge block of concrete set deep into the ground.
The facilities building alongside the dome houses the Astronomical Society and provides the following facilities:
A reception area and a meeting room where smaller groups can gather to see eductional presentations. This room also houses the well stocked library of aerospace and astronomical books and periodicals, most of which can be loaned out to members.
A second room, used for equipment storage where telescopes acquired by the society can be loaned out to members. This is especially useful for members new to astronomy, who do not yet have a telescope of their own, as they can try various models to see what type of telescope might suit them best.
A small kitchen with cooking and tea/coffee making facilities. There is also a WC and washroom.
These heated indoor facilities are very welcoming, especially on evening observations during cold weather. Arrangements for observation sessions are detailed here.
If you would like to become a member of the Cody Astronomical Society, click on Join us for more details.