Welcome to the
Huddersfield Astronomical
And Philosophical Society
Observatory Page
How to find the Huddersfield Observatory
(starting from ‘Huddersfield Centre’)
From the ‘A62 Ring Road’, follow the signs for ‘A62 Oldham’. If you are coming from the ‘University side’ of the A62 Ring Road, ensure that you are in the second from the left lane as you approach the large ‘interchange’, about ¼ mile beyond the University Campus, on the A62 Ring Road. If you are coming from the ‘Technical College’ side of the Ring Road, ensure that as you pass by the ‘Magistrates Court’, that you are in the far RHS lane, as you approach this same junction, but from the opposite side. The junction is nearby the ‘Aldi’ Store.
On the A62 Oldham road, be aware of ‘SPEED CAMERAS’, just before you pass by a large church (the Church is on your RHS). You will then pass ‘Wickes’ DIY Store (on your LHS).
At the next set of traffic lights, you will see a sign for ‘Countrywide Leisure’. Follow this sign (i.e. keep left) through the first sets of traffic lights, and once through these lights, keep in the RHS lane as you pass through the second set of lights, just before ‘Northern Battery Service’.
Continue uphill, passing through a ‘Pelican Crossing’. At the next major junction, you will see the ‘Junction Pub’, in front of you. Keep in the LHS (‘filter arrow’) lane. This takes you onto Blackmoorfoot Road.
Keep on Blackmoorfoot Road, going uphill. After passing through another major junction (with traffic lights), and after passing by the following ‘buildings’:
a) St Luke’s Hospital (on your LHS)
b) ‘Countrywide Leisure’ (‘Black Cat’ Fireworks) [on your RHS]
c) ‘Johnson’s Quarry’ (on your LHS)
You will eventually reach the ‘Sands House’ Public House.
Just above the ‘Sands House’ is the turn-off for ‘Crosland Heath Golf Club’ (to your RHS)
Keep on Blackmoorfoot Road, for a further ¼ mile, passing by a Caravan Park and ‘Airfield’ (both on your LHS). Just by the Caravan Park is a ‘road-sign’ indicating a road junction on your LHS. This is Nopper Road.
About 20 meters above this road, on the RHS is a large ‘lay-by’. Park near the ‘bottom’ of the lay-by and the Observatory is about 100 meters up the rough track.
If you miss the junction and continue on Blackmoorfoot Road, you will start to go downhill, until you reach the ‘Bull’s Head’ pub.
If you get this far, turn round and retrace your steps. The Observatory will now be on your LHS.
What to wear?
The Observatory is not heated, so layers of warm clothing are essential, especially on a windy evening. Hat and Gloves are very useful, to prevent exposure to the cold and windy conditions. Strong footwear is essential, as the ‘track’ to the Observatory is uneven, and the Observatory itself can become slippery, due to ‘condensation’. Waterproof and windproof jackets are also a good idea to reduce the effects of ‘wind-chill’. Inside the Telescope area, the wind will ‘swirl around’ and it is very easy to become cold very quickly. Basically, dress for the north pole. Please note there are no toilet facilities. If you can, bring a torch as there is no lighting in the area.
The Following is a list of telescopes owned by us
Meade 40cm ( 16 inch ) LX200 GPS Goto SCT on permanent equatorial pier.
Coronado Solarmax90/T-max with HI-RES upgrade and BF15 aboard a Takahashi Sky 90 fluorite apochromatic refractor.
Celestron Nextar 11 (28cm) GPS Goto SCT with portable tripod.
Takhashi FS 102 fluorite apochromatic refractor on Takahashi EM10 equatorial mount and portable tripod.
All supported with a full range of Televue Nagler / Panoptic, Meade super plossl and Coronado CE-max eyepieces.
