Latest information (16.08.2026, 21:59)
Following the overwhelming success (and associated challenges) of the Partial Solar Eclipse event, it is possible that more visitors than normal may attend the final two Planetarium Show afternoons, which is great. While we can cater for 60 people per showtime (2pm and 4pm), if a lot more people turn up then we will endeavour to make sure everyone gets to see a show. If we are overwhelmed, then we kindly ask for your understanding that our seating capacity is limited. We are an organisation run entirely by volunteers (no one is paid) but we passionately believe in sharing the wonders of astronomy and the cosmos with everyone who visits us.
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)
- Please bring your own refreshments. Water available on request.
To find us, please click here: https://normanlockyer.com/visitor-information/finding-us/
| Date | Time | Show |
|---|---|---|
| 19th August | 2pm & 4pm | A repeat showing of the magnificent: 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. |
| 26th 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) |
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. |
| 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 | Messengers of Time and Space – The planetarium show highlights how Gemini will work together with observatories that monitor the night sky for exciting astronomical events that change with time, like Rubin Observatory. Sometimes, light is not the only indicator of these short-term events. Audiences will learn how information can reach us through other messengers like cosmic rays, elusive particles called neutrinos, and even gravitational waves rippling through the Universe. NLO’s description: A gentle journey through the eyes of modern telescopes and their ability to discover new and exciting phenomena such as supernovae, interstellar asteroids, cosmic rays and neutrinos, and gravitational waves from colliding neutron stars. 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). Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NSF/NOIRLab/AURA |
| 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, or follow this link: https://normanlockyer.com/partial-solar-eclipse-and-the-perseid-meteor-shower/ |