{"id":508218,"date":"2026-04-02T03:08:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T03:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/508218\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T03:08:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T03:08:27","slug":"anglesey-space-site-aims-to-bring-solar-system-closer-to-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/508218\/","title":{"rendered":"Anglesey space site aims to bring solar system closer to home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ambitious plans have been unveiled for a \u201cunique\u201d space observatory, classroom and boardwalk on Anglesey<\/a>. The facility, likened to a mini Jodrell Bank, will be the first of its kind in North Wales.<\/p>\n

Anglesey Astronomy Society (AAS) wants to erect the domed observatory at Breakwater Country Park, Holyhead<\/a>. Planning consent was sought as the countdown began for the launch of Artemis 11, NASA\u2019s first human Moon mission since 1972.<\/p>\n

If approved, the observatory will become a major regional asset, said ASS chairman Gavin Malone. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be huge for STEM education not just on Anglesey but right across North Wales,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt present the closest facility is Jodrell Bank in east Cheshire – that\u2019s where we must go for our astronomy days-out. Having this observatory here will be a big step forward for local enthusiasts and for growing interest across the region.\u201d<\/p>\n

ASS began looking for a suitable site after being gifted an observatory in early 2026. Entirely hand-built in 1999 by the late Robert Smith, an enthusiast in Little Neston on the Wirral, it comprised a 10.5ft-tall fibreglass dome and a \u201chistorically significant\u201d 19-inch Newtonian reflector telescope.<\/p>\n

To transport it to Holyhead, the structure was cut into segments. It’s currently being reassembled, revealing the incredible skill involved in building the high-powered back-garden telescope. Get the best island stories from our Anglesey newsletter<\/a> – sent every Friday<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has a 19-inch mirror which was ground down by Mr Smith,\u201d said Gavin. \u201cHe did the same for the cogs in the telescope\u2019s tracking mechanism, to allow for the Earth\u2019s rotation and so cancel out diurnal motion. How he managed to do this at home I have no idea. It really is an engineering masterpiece.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Impression<\/p>\n

Impression of how the facility will look(Image: AAS)<\/p>\n

The plan is to mount the fibreglass dome on a 6.5ft-tall concrete base. It will be clad in green sheets so it blends with the surrounding quarry and gorse.<\/p>\n

Next to it will be a single-storey timber-framed building serving as an educational hub for schools and the community. A 6ft-wide timber boardwalk will link the observatory to nearby paths.<\/p>\n

ASS plans to upgrade the telescope for collective use. In a planning statement, consultant Dafydd Edwards of Cynllun Plans Drawn said: \u201cAs part of the restoration the telescope will be upgraded with modern high-specification CMOS imaging cameras. This will allow the instrument to be used for Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA).<\/p>\n

\u201cEAA allows deep space images to be captured and displayed live on screens within the facility. This provides a far more inclusive experience for visitors and allows groups to observe astronomical objects simultaneously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The observatory was originally built in a back garden on the Wirral(Image: AAS)<\/p>\n

During the day the facility will be used for educational outreach activities. Solar telescopes fitted with specialist H-alpha filters will project live images of the Sun onto internal display screens.<\/p>\n

This will enable groups and school visitors to safely observe solar activity such as sunspots, solar prominences and solar flares. AAS anticipates growing interest in its \u201cYoung Astronomers\u201d programme.<\/p>\n

At night, ASS members will use the telescope for astronomical research and observation. By undertaking planetary and deep space imaging, the group aims to contribute to wider scientific discoveries.<\/p>\n

Public viewing nights will also be hosted, giving everyone \u201ctheir first eyes on the Universe\u201d. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The observatory is currently being re-assembled in a Holyhead workshop(Image: AAS)<\/p>\n

Biodiversity enhancements are planned, including bat tubes and fruit trees. The facility will also \u201cactively promote dark sky awareness\u201d.<\/p>\n

To monitor the site, two security cameras will be installed on 10ft poles. If approved, it\u2019s hoped the observatory will open \u201cbefore the clocks go back\u201d this autumn.<\/p>\n

Local businesses supporting the project include Stena Line, Kier Construction and the Hogan Group. Ynys M\u00f4n AONB, which borders the country park, is also backing the venture.<\/p>\n

You can follow the project\u2019s progress on Facebook here<\/a>. More details about AAS can be found here<\/a>. A \u00a34,000 fundraising appeal, to complete construction, is ongoing – there\u2019s more on this here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ambitious plans have been unveiled for a \u201cunique\u201d space observatory, classroom and boardwalk on Anglesey. The facility, likened…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":508219,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[30048,1813,106774,90,416,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-508218","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-anglesey","9":"tag-astronomy","10":"tag-holyhead","11":"tag-science","12":"tag-space","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=508218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/508219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=508218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=508218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=508218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}