12 August 2026, 5pm+

Join experienced astronomers at the NLO to witness an extremely rare and exciting

Partial Solar Eclipse

and the peak of the

Perseid Meteor Shower

Also, suitable for all the family:

Storytelling under the Stars

Beware the hype and the AI slop: We are acutely aware of AI-generated advertising across social media showing spectacular images of total (not partial) eclipses, and meteor shower renditions that real amateur astronomers can only dream of. Do not be misled!

At the NLO we offer a dose of reality, real amateur astronomers, and simplistic but informative webpages (like this one):

• The partial solar eclipse will be spectacular with the Moon covering up to 94.4% of the Sun.
  • With the right equipment (solar viewing glasses, specialist solar telescopes, hydrogen-alpha telescopes) you can view the eclipse safely and witness something very special. Never look directly at the Sun, even through clouds. Do not risk your eyesight.

• The Perseid meteor shower should also provide many shooting stars every hour.
  • They can be bright, faint, a flick seen out of the corner of your eye, but the collective experience of hearing people exclaiming in delight is something really special.
  • You can make as many wishes as you like! Disclaimer: The NLO is not responsible for fulfilment of said wishes.

• Gather round and listen to Storyteller David Heathfield who will enchant us with Orpheus’ Lyre in the Underworld, as well as Amano Iwato, the Heavenly Eclipse from Japanese Shinto mythology. Please bring a rug or reclining chair.

The calendar entry on the front-page of our website is repeated below:

It’s the partial solar eclipse and Perseid meteor shower night! Come along, look through our specialist safe telescopes to witness the Moon slowly swallowing up the Sun. This will be followed by storytelling under the stars by storyteller David Heathfield, and the chance to see meteors shooting across the sky. We hope the sky will be clear, but, worry not, we also plan to show live feeds of the eclipse in the lecture theatre.

Refreshments available to purchase throughout the evening from Coffee165.

Adults: £12
Children: £6
Family: £30

Members: FREE*

No booking required.

* Annual membership costs £35 (£60 joint | £10 under 18) and covers all our meetings and events

Planned schedule (all subject to change on the night):
17:00 Doors Open
18:18 Solar eclipse first contact
19:16 Solar eclipse maximum (94.4% of the Sun occulted)
20:09 Solar eclipse last contact
20:30 Storytelling under the Stars!
and the Perseid Meteor shower

At certain points during the evening:
 – Planetarium presentation(s)
 – Tours of the historic telescopes and Lockyer Technology Centre

Escape the Earth’s atmosphere and immerse yourself in the cosmos!

We are hosting Wednesday-afternoon planetarium shows over the school holidays (apart from 12th August when we are hosting a partial solar eclipse and Perseid meteor-shower evening!) with a range of 4k full-dome digital shows from the European Southern Observatory, NoirLab, and others. Please see the table below for a list of the shows together with timings and descriptions.

Important information:

• Main showtimes are 2pm and 4pm. Spaces in each show are limited to 30 people (see ‘How it works‘ below for more details). If the main shows are full when you arrive, we will run an additional show shortly afterwards. No pre-booking currently available.
• The car park will be closed and locked at 5:30pm or after the last show if earlier.
• If you have any accessibility/mobility concerns please mention this to our volunteers when you arrive. We are happy to make adjustments where possible. (see ‘Accessibility Statement’ below)

To find us, please click here: https://normanlockyer.com/visitor-information/finding-us/

Date	Time	Show
29th July	2pm & 4pm	The Sun, Our Living Star The Sun has shone on our world for four and a half billion years. The light that warms our skin today has been felt by every person who has ever lived. It is our nearest star and our planet’s powerhouse, the source of the energy that drives our winds, our weather and all life. The passage of the Sun’s fiery disc across the sky — day by day, month by month — was the only way to keep track of time for countless past civilisations. Don’t be fooled by the terminology; although it is a typical dwarf star, the Sun consumes 600 million tons of hydrogen each second and is 500 times as massive as all the planets combined. Discover the secrets of our star in this planetarium show and experience never-before-seen images of the Sun’s violent surface in immersive fulldome format. NLO’s description: This show focuses on the relationship between the Earth and the Sun. It considers the structure of the Sun, its energy source, its turbulent atmosphere, how light from the Sun powers the Earth both in the past and now, and how space weather produces the beautiful aurora. It describes what will happen in the far distant future and how it is destined to make the Earth uninhabitable, or worse! The show is targeted at teenagers/adults. Nevertheless, the visual planetarium experience is suitable for all the family, ages 8 through to 80 and beyond! Narration & soundtrack (synchronised). Contains two short sequences of irregularly flashing lights. Credit: ESO and Theofanis Matsopoulos
5th August	2pm & 4pm	Programme subject to change: The Hot and Energetic Universe Credit: Integrated Activities in the High-Energy Astrophysics Domain (AHEAD)/T. Matsopoulos
12th August	X	There will not be an afternoon planetarium show on this date. Instead the NLO will be hosting a partial solar eclipse and Perseid meteor-shower evening! See main page for more information.
19th August	2pm & 4pm	Programme subject to change: Out There: The Quest for Extrasolar Worlds Credit: The Swiss Museum of Transport Planetarium in cooperation with NCCR PlanetS and the European Southern Observatory (ESO)
26th August	2pm & 4pm	Programme subject to change: Messengers of Time and Space Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NSF/NOIRLab/AURA

How it works: Our planetarium has a capacity of 30 people for full-dome digital shows.

• If up to 30 people arrive the visit will consist of a full-dome digital planetarium show (lasting 25 – 30 minutes) followed by a look at one of our historical telescopes, the Lockyer Telescope. This amazing Victorian telescope was used by Norman Lockyer to discover Helium back in 1868. This living telescope is still used today by visitors to the observatory.

• If between 30 and 60 people arrive they will be split into two groups. Both groups will get to see full-dome digital planetarium show and the historical Lockyer telescope, but not at the same time.

• If more than 60 arrive we kindly ask for your understanding that we have limited capacity. We will do what we can to accommodate you, but realistically we may ask you to come back another time, either the same day 4pm if you arrived at 2pm, or the following week.

Accessibility Statement: Planetarium shows include immersive moving projections, darkness, and occasionally loud sound effects. If you have concerns, please speak to one of our volunteers before the show. If you have limited mobility and would like assistance, please speak to one of our volunteers on arrival. We are happy to make adjustments where possible.

Background: This year (2026) we are delighted to see the emergence of a new digital projection system at the James Lockyer Planetarium, part of the Norman Lockyer Observatory. It offers 360 degree digital video projection, 4k resolution, in a 7 metre diameter dome. We were impressed (which isn’t easy) so we hope you will be too!

Date	Time	Show
		Past events, 2026
15th July	2pm	Sunstruck – Travel back to the beginning of time and experience the birth of the Sun. Discover how it came to support life, how it threatens life as we know it, and how its energy will one day fade away.  NLO’s description: This show looks at the structure of the Sun, its energy source, its turbulent atmosphere, how space weather from the Sun impacts our satellites, aurora, and electrical systems. It describes what will happen in the far distant future and how it will affect Earth, and finally how the Sun will end. Suitable for all the family, ages 8 through to 80 and beyond! Narration & music (synchronised). Credit: Michigan Science Center
22nd July	2pm & 4pm	From Earth to the Universe – The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has inspired awe and been the subject of campfire stories, and ancient myths for as long as there have been people. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos. To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience From Earth to the Universe. NLO’s description: This show features planets :-). A voyage of discovery from ancient civilisations to ground-based and space-based telescopes exploring the planets of the Solar System, the Sun, and the wider galactic universe. Visually stunning, and thoroughly recommended. Suitable for all the family, ages 8 through to 80 and beyond! Narration & music (synchronised). Credit: ESO/Theofanis N. Matsopoulos. Music: Johan B. Monell.