1st to 8th March 2014

National Astronomy week 2014 is over!   More than 200 events were held across the UK (slightly more than for the previous NAW which focused on Mars).  The weather in most areas was exceptionally good for observing.  We have had some very positive feedback which indicates that more than 20,000 people attended at least one event.   We are delighted that so many people were able to enjoy taking part in National Astronomy Week.  Some of the site has been updated wth information about the various projects (for example the Star Count page, and the Speed of Light challenge page) but much of the site is still in the state it was during the week, and parts of the site have been disabled as no longer relevant.  We are, however, keeping this site available as a record of the week.  It will almost certainly be a few years before the next National Astronomy Week, but we are hard at work trying to identify a suitable time and event.

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National Astronomy Week 2014 celebrates Jupiter, the largest planet in the Solar System. Jupiter will reach its highest point in the sky for many years in early March.

All eyes will be on the skies between 1st and 8th March 2014 when an array of fascinating celestial objects will be gathered in the night sky. Throughout the week, astronomical organisations and societies all over the UK will be holding a host of special observing events open to the public. This is your chance to look at the heavens through a telescope.

Find an event

Find out what’s on near you by using the Events calendar or link on the left. Or browse through the rest of the site to discover much more about mighty Jupiter and what else is on view during the Week.

Partner Events

• Star Count 2014 (in partnership with CPRE / BAA) – we encourage event organisers and members of the public to participate in this important survey. Full details are on our Star Count page.
• Speed of Light Challenge – the excellent views of Jupiter make this the best time for years to repeat Ole Rømer’s experiments demonstrating that the speed of light is finite. We are working on this with Orwell Astronomical Society. Why not have a go yourself this NAW? See our Speed of Light page for details.

UK National Astronomy Week (“NAW”)

NAW is held every few years or so to promote public awareness of astronomy by celebrating remarkable astronomical events.  There’s more information about the week here.

Event Organisers

This time round, event organisers are able to create and maintain their own event listings by registering on this site.  If you are an event organiser, please click the Event Organisers link for more information, including details of how to register and create your event listing.   In addition, once registered you will be able  to access and download resources such as posters, lesson plans, fact sheets, etc.

Please register all your events on this web site as soon as possible so we can help you find potential attendees.

If you registered your events by 31st January 2014 you are in the prize draw to win a telescope, kindly donated by Astronomia, the award-winning home of the biggest range of telescopes and binoculars on display in the South of England. STOP PRESS: THE DRAW HAS NOW TAKEN PLACE – PLEASE SEE OUR LATEST NEWS FOR DETAILS OF THE WINNER.