Latest news with #RoyalGreenwichObservatory
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Daily Record
Fairytale castle with 300 acres and grand gardens perfect for family outing
With sprawling estate spanning approximately 300 acres and magnificent gardens, it's an ideal destination for a family outing this summer Did you know one of the UK's oldest brick structures is still standing? With an expansive estate covering roughly 300 acres and stunning gardens, it's the perfect spot for a family outing this summer if you're on your travels. This historical treasure is Herstmonceux Castle, located in Hailsham, just north of Eastbourne. Pronounced 'herst-mon-zoo', the castle was erected around 1441 by Sir Roger Fiennes, Treasurer of the Household for King Henry VI. Regrettably, the castle was dismantled in 1777, leaving only the exterior walls intact. Colonel Claude Lowther bought the castle in 1913 and commissioned its restoration by Sir Paul Latham in 1933. Today, Herstmonceux Castle serves as the UK campus for Queen's University of Canada, welcoming international students who come to study in this enchanting, Hogwarts-esque environment, reports SurreyLive. Things to do While the castle is closed to the public during the winter months, it opens its doors for all to enjoy once the gardens burst into bloom in the spring and summer. The castle grounds feature a diverse array of gardens, each with its own unique theme. Formal gardens with meticulously arranged displays contrast with wild meadows sprinkled with a variety of wildflowers. There are at least eight distinct gardens, including the Elizabethan Garden, complete with croquet lawns, and Queens Walk, adorned with Irish yew trees and a dry moat. The secluded garden is a haven for herbaceous perennials, springtime pink tulips and magnolia trees. As summer approaches, rambling roses burst into bloom against the garden walls. Tucked away within the castle's original walled garden is the Sundial and Rose Garden. A central sundial, surrounded by six others, features a bust of Sir John Flamsteed as a nod to the Royal Greenwich Observatory that once resided within the castle grounds. From 1946 until 1989, the observatory functioned on site. Visitors to the garden can marvel at an extensive collection of David Austin English roses, along with hybrid tea and shrub roses embellishing the beds. The Apothecary Garden presents a variety of medicinal and culinary herbs. This aromatic garden displays raised plant beds filled with lemon verbena, tiger grass and bay trees. Visitors can immerse themselves in the fragrant scents of the garden whilst learning about the uses of each herb, with informative labels dotted around the area. Several gardens are wheelchair accessible, while others provide the perfect backdrop for picnics or simply soaking up the picturesque surroundings. Dogs on leads are welcome, and a play area is available for children. Those wishing to explore the castle interior will need to purchase a guided tour ticket, as free roaming inside is not allowed. A host of events take place within the castle grounds throughout the summer. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as falconry displays, comedy shows and exhibitions. The on-site café and terrace, with their breathtaking views of the medieval castle, provide the perfect setting for a coffee or tea break, complemented by a slice of cake. More information Opening times April to June: 10am to 5pm (last admission 3pm) July to September: 10am to 7pm (last admission 5pm) October: 10am to 5pm (last admission 3pm) Winter opening times (Nov 2025 to March 2026) to be confirmed Admission and tickets Gardens and grounds admission day ticket: Adults £10, students £8, children four to 17 £5 and free for children under four and for carers Castle and garden tours: £4 Tour times April to June 11am, 1pm and 3pm July to September 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm October to December: to be confirmed Accessibility The main gardens are wheelchair accessible with reserved parking nearby close to the disabled toilet facility Ramp access to the courtyard and café Two manual wheelchairs are available on first come first served basis and can be reserved by calling 01323 833816 Fun for the family Play area for children Marlow Rope Maze Tree swing Activity sheets
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Stunning 15th century UK castle with a feature that will 'take your breath away'
The 15th century castle is one of the oldest and grandest brick buildings in the country and is a great day out for the family. Did you know that just nestled away in South East England, you can discover one of the oldest brick buildings still standing in the UK? With a sprawling estate covering approximately 300 acres and magnificent gardens, it's the ideal spot for a family day out. Nestled in Hailsham, Sussex - a stone's throw north of Eastbourne - lies Herstmonceux Castle. Pronounced 'herst-mon-zoo', this historic castle was built around 1441 by Sir Roger Fiennes, Treasurer of the Household to King Henry VI. Unfortunately, the castle was dismantled in 1777, leaving only its exterior walls intact. The castle was acquired by Colonel Claude Lowther in 1913, who commissioned its restoration by Sir Paul Latham in 1933. Today, Herstmonceux Castle serves as the UK campus for Queen's University of Canada, welcoming international students who come to study in this Hogwarts-esque setting. Things to do While the castle is closed to the public during the winter months, it opens its doors for all to enjoy once the gardens burst into bloom in the spring and summer. The castle grounds feature a remarkable collection of uniquely themed gardens, reports Surrey Live. Formal gardens with meticulously curated displays contrast with wild meadows sprinkled with wildflowers. There are at least eight different gardens to explore, including the Elizabethan Garden, complete with croquet lawns, and Queens Walk, lined with Irish yew trees and a dry moat. The enclosed garden is home to herbaceous perennials, springtime pink tulips and magnolia trees. Early summer sees rambling roses bloom against the walls. Nestled within the castle's original walled garden is the Sundial and Rose Garden. A central sundial is encircled by six others, with a bust of Sir John Flamsteed in tribute to the Royal Greenwich Observatory that once resided at the castle. From 1946 until 1989, the observatory was housed within the castle grounds. Visitors will discover a vast collection of David Austin English roses, along with hybrid tea and shrub roses adorning the beds in the garden. The Apothecary Garden is a treasure trove of medicinal and culinary herbs. This fragrant garden boasts raised plant beds filled with lemon verbena, tiger grass and bay trees. Guests can immerse themselves in the aromatic scents of the garden whilst learning about each herb and its uses, with informative labels scattered throughout. Several gardens are wheelchair accessible, while others provide the perfect backdrop for picnics and taking in the picturesque scenery. Dogs on leads are welcome, and there's also a play area for children. Those wishing to explore the castle interior will need to purchase a guided tour ticket as free roaming is not permitted. The castle grounds play host to a variety of events throughout the summer. These include falconry displays, comedy shows and exhibitions. A café and terrace, offering stunning views of the medieval castle, is the ideal spot for a slice of cake and a cuppa. More information Opening times April to June: 10am to 5pm (last admission 3pm) July to September: 10am to 7pm (last admission 5pm) October: 10am to 5pm (last admission 3pm) Winter opening times (Nov 2025 to March 2026) to be confirmed Admission and tickets Gardens and grounds admission day ticket: Adults £10, students £8, children four to 17 £5 and free for children under four and for carers Castle and garden tours: £4 Tour times April to June 11am, 1pm and 3pm July to September 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm October to December: to be confirmed Accessibility The main gardens are wheelchair accessible with reserved parking nearby close to the disabled toilet facility Ramp access to the courtyard and café Two manual wheelchairs are available on first come first served basis and can be reserved by calling 01323 833816 Fun for the family Play area for children Marlow Rope Maze Tree swing Activity sheets
Metro
22-04-2025
- Science
- Metro
How to see Lyrids meteor shower tonight and best spot to view oldest display
The world's oldest known meteor shower will be visible tonight, with space rocks whizzing past at 30 miles per second. The Royal Greenwich Observatory said this year, the Lyrids will be visible from April 16 to April 25. They peaked last night between April 21 and the early hours of April 22, but you haven't missed it: the meteors will stick around for another couple of nights. Once a year, the Earth passes through the trail left by the comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, creating the oldest recorded meteor shower still visible, after it was first spotted in 687 BCE. Its name comes from the Lyra constellation, where they appear to originate from in the sky, even though in reality they have nothing to do with the distant stars. The sky will light up as the meteors whizz past at around 30 miles per second, moving so fast the air particles in front can't get out of the way in time. Instead, they're rapidly compressed and start to heat up, raising the temperature around the meteor to as high as 1,600C° – causing the meteor to shine brightly as it streaks across the sky. Here's everything you need to know. The Lyrids began on April 16 and will be visible until April 25. Last night offerered the best chance of seeing them, but with many areas seeing clear skies at least for periods tonight, it's still well worth looking up. Greenwich Observatory said the best way to see the showers is at a dark site with an unobstructed view of the sky. The Lyrids are visible with the naked eye, so no specialist equipment is needed to watch the spectacle, and they will be visible across the UK. How many are visible will depend on factors such as the amount of light pollution and the level of cloud cover. More Trending The observatory added: 'While the Lyrid meteors will be visible all across the sky, following their path backwards, they will appear to originate from the constellation of Lyra, the lyre, which contains the star Vega. 'In reality, the meteors have nothing to do with this distant group of stars. The direction they appear to come from is dictated by the motion of the Earth and the debris itself. 'All of the meteors are coming in approximately parallel to one another, like lanes of traffic on a straight motorway. Our perspective makes them appear to travel sideways across the sky. 'Just as a person standing on the central reservation of the motorway will have cars pass on either side of them, the meteors will appear to diverge from the so-called radiant point in Lyra and streak across the sky in all directions.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Spotify down for the second time in five days MORE: Wild chimps filmed getting lashed – and some habits are very similar to humans' MORE: Oldest serving US astronaut parachutes back to Earth on his 70th birthday
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
2025 Partial Solar Eclipse live stream: Watch the sunrise eclipse live on March 29 here
A partial solar eclipse is happening this weekend, and it will be visible in Rhode Island, assuming the weather cooperates. While the sky will not be as dramatic as last year's total solar eclipse, the spectacle will make the sun appear crescent-shaped, as NASA explains that the moon will block part of the sun while passing between sun and earth. Because the sun will not be completely covered, looking at this weekend's partial eclipse requires proper eye protection, just like the total eclipse in 2024. Don't have eclipse glasses, can't get outside, or not in the part of the country that can see it? The solar event can still be watched via live stream. Here's what to know about watching the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025 online. According to the website Time and Date, this month's partial solar eclipse will start around 4:50 a.m. and end around 8:43 a.m. on March 29. In Rhode Island, the partial eclipse will be visible from 6:32 to 7:07 a.m. Here is a list of peak partial eclipse times across multiple states, including those in New England, from Time and Date: Here are available live streams for the partial eclipse on March 29, 2025: Time and Date: YouTube livestream starting at 5:30 a.m. Royal Greenwich Observatory: YouTube livestream starting at 6 a.m. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Live streams for March 2025 partial solar eclipse: Watch it here
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Preserving astronomy history: The fight is on to save an iconic Royal Observatory Greenwich site
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Near the small town of Herstmonceux in the English county of East Sussex sits the former home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory. The Royal Observatory Greenwich was first built in Greenwich, London, in 1675. At this original location, the observatory was set up with the goal of producing star charts and accurate time-keeping devices, to allow the British military and commercial fleets to more effectively navigate during their global travels. Over two centuries later, in 1884, the Royal Observatory Greenwich's extensive star charts made the site a prime choice for defining the world's line of 0˚ longitude, the original marker of which can still be visited at the Greenwich site today. But the original Royal Observatory Greenwich did not stay at its London location forever. By the 1930s, it was apparent to astronomers that London was no longer a feasible location to conduct astronomical research. Dark and clear skies are needed for these types of observation; and with an expanding London producing ever more smog, air pollution, and light pollution, Greenwich could no longer provide the necessary conditions for this work. Plans were eventually made to relocate the observatory operations, including some of the existing 19th century telescopes, to cleaner skies near the small village of Herstmonceux. However, this historic site is now at risk. In the summer of 2024, the Observatory Science Centre, the charity acting as custodians of the historic Royal Observatory Greenwich site since 1995, announced that they would be evicted by the landowners before the end of 2026. Delayed by World War II, the transfer of the Royal Observatory Greenwich took place from 1947 — 1958. Out of sixty candidate sites, an area in East Sussex was chosen in the south–east of England. At the time, the site was far from the light pollution of large towns and cities, and (believe it or not) even had decent weather (compared to the rest of the UK, at least). Following the move, the Royal Observatory Greenwich was renamed the Royal Greenwich Observatory, and scientific research continued. (Much of the original Royal Observatory Greenwich site in London still remains, and is now a part of the National Maritime Museum). Although the institution was founded to produce star charts, the Royal Observatory Greenwich had since moved onto astrophysical research, using telescopes to better understand the physics of the stars and planets above us. At the core of the new Herstmonceux site was a group of telescopes called the Equatorial Group. At its peak, 200 people worked on site, in support of the observatory's operations with these telescopes. The Equatorial Group is a group of six telescope domes, making up the primary observatory site. Whereas most telescope domes use a grey or white color, the Equatorial Group telescopes were built of copper, which eventually oxidized into a distinctive green color. This decision was deliberate, to allow the domes to 'camouflage' into the surrounding green hills. In 1967, the Royal Greenwich Observatory built a new tool — the Isaac Newton Telescope. The Isaac Newton Telescope was housed in its own new huge telescope dome (white this time), offset from the rest of the site. With a 98-inch mirror at its base, this new telescope was the third largest in the world at the time. However, as the Isaac Newton Telescope began scientific research, it soon became clear that this world-class scientific instrument was very much hindered by the location in which it was built. With the growth of nearby towns over the prior two decades, the site no longer had the level of dark skies it once did. Furthermore, although the south-east of England has some of the best weather in the United Kingdom, frequent cloud cover was still a significant problem — leaving the telescope unusable for much of the year. With international travel now more feasible, the decision was eventually made to relocate the Isaac Newton Telescope to darker and clearer skies in 1984. It was moved to an observatory site called 'Roque de los Muchachos Observatory', positioned on the top of a volcano on the island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands. Although it is now joined by a much larger telescope, the Isaac Newton Telescope, originally constructed at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in Herstmonceux, is still used in its new home for scientific research today. Shortly after the move of its main telescope, the rest of the Royal Greenwich Observatory site was abandoned in 1990, with the transition of its remaining staff to a new office in Cambridge. Following the abandonment of the site in 1990, the site fell into a state of disrepair. The historic telescopes were left to rust in telescope domes forgotten by the outside world. If nobody had stepped in, it's likely the important astronomical heritage of this site would have been lost forever. Thankfully, this was not the case. In April 1995, a charity called Science Projects took out a lease of the site from the landowners. (The land was owned by the Canadian Queen's University, who bought the estate for the nearby Herstmonceux castle). Science Projects restored the site with backing from local district and county councils, restored the historic telescopes and Equatorial Group domes using National Heritage Lottery funds in 2004, and earned the site a nationally recognised Grade II* listed status. RELATED STORIES: — Royal Observatory: Where East Meets West — Stunning image of Andromeda galaxy takes top astronomy photography prize of 2023 (gallery) — Moving Earth's prime meridian Since then, the former site of the Royal Greenwich Observatory has been home to the now-named Observatory Science Centre, featuring interactive science exhibits, astronomy open evenings, lectures and festivals for all to enjoy. The historic facility now receives over 60,000 visitors per year, ranging from local school students, the general public, and international visitors. The announcement that Observatory Science Centre at Herstmonceux would be closed has brought outrage to the local East Sussex community, with a public petition to save the observatory garnering over 12,000 signatures. I have my own special relationship with the site, and share the public's frustration at the risk of losing both a key piece of global astronomy heritage, and an asset to the local community. The landowners, the Canadian Queens University, have released little information publicly since the announcement of the charity's eviction from their land. Their plans for the observatory site, domes and historic telescopes are unclear, but in February 2025 Queen's University at least announced a commitment to uphold the observatory site's legacy. With an uncertain future, we'll have to wait and see what's next for this historic observatory.
