User:Ed1966/Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory

Wynyard Planetarium.jpg.

Latitude: 54° 36′ 41″ N, Longitude: 01° 22′ 38″ W]] Wynyard Observatory.JPG.

Latitude: 54° 36′ 40″ N, Longitude: 01° 22′ 42″ W]]

Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory are the public astronomical facilities of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, based at Wynyard Woodland Park (formerly Castle Eden Walkway Country Park) near the village of Thorpe Thewles, Stockton-on-Tees. It is a not-for-profit service of the council and is available to schools, colleges, community & uniformed groups as well as the general public from across the North-East region of England. Events at the facilities are organised with the assistance of volunteers from the Cleveland and Darlington Astronomical Society and Durham Astronomical Society.

Planetarium
The Planetarium, which seats 72, was opened on the 9th November 2001 by the astronomical historian Dr Allan Chapman, (fellow of Wadham College, Univeristy of Oxford) with the first star show taking place on 26th February 2002. Funding for the project came from a number of sources, the largest contributor being the European Regional Development Fund.

The Planetarium uses opto-mechanical projection to render a night sky on a 7m diameter, fixed inflatable dome, this is augmented with digitally projected images of space. It has three star projectors: the main teaching equipment is a Japanese GOTO Eros-E5 (1973), the back-up equipment is a USA made Spitz A1 (1951) and a Spitz A3P (1963) is currently in storage awaiting installation.

Star shows
Planetarium star shows are entertainment or education based, covering general interest about the night sky (for public and community groups), National Curriculum astronomy and general science content (from key stage 1 to key stage 4) for schools, A-level physics syllabus astronomy for colleges, GCSE astronomy syllabus for schools and colleges, Scout Association astronomy badges for scouts, guides, cubs and brownies (including Baden-Powell Scouts' Association badges).

Observatory
The Observatory was opened on the 9th February 1994 by the XIV Astronomer Royal, Sir Arnold Wolfendale, (emeritus professor in the Physics department at Durham University).

Originally housing a 7 inch diameter achromatic refracting telescope of focal ratio f/15, the obervatory currently houses a 19 inch diameter Newtonian reflecting telescope of focal ratio f/4.5.

As well as the main telescope in the Observatory there are many others housed in the Planetarium itself, which can be taken outside and used for night sky observing sessions from the months of September to April.