# Glasgow Astrophysics Group: Observatory
**Source**: https://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/observatory/
**Parent**: https://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/
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| | | | | | --- | --- | | | | | | | | --- | --- | | [GALLERY](http://www.flickr.com/photos/gu_observatory/) | [Weather Station](http://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/observatory/weather/Observatory_weather/Observatory_weather.htm) | | | | | |
| | | | | | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | | There has been an Observatory associated with Glasgow University since 1757, and we presently occupy two sites. The main observatory ('Acre Road') is close to the Garscube Estate on the outskirts of the city. Our outstation ('[Cochno](https://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/observatory/images/observatory/cochno.jpg)', housing the [big](https://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/observatory/images/observatory/grubb2.jpg) 20-inch [Grubb Parsons](https://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/observatory/images/observatory/grubb1.jpg) telescope) is located further out again, at a darker site in the Kilpatrick Hills. The Acre Road Observatory comprises teaching labs, a workshop and the main dome housing a [16-inch](http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/ODK/odk16.html)[Dall–Kirkham](http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/ODK/odk16.html) telescope, with a [Rotarion](https://www.astronscientific.com/) remote turret, on a [Paramount ME](http://www.bisque.com/sc/). The solar dome, presently housing the 14-inch Meade, a transit house containing the transit telescope. We also have several other portable telescopes of 10-inches and less, imaging devices and spectrometers.. We operate several radio instruments, mostly using [Ettus software defined radio backends](https://www.ettus.com/product/details/UB210-KIT) and [GNURadio](https://www.gnuradio.org/) processing pipelines: a 3-m dish tuned to the[21-cm hydrogen line](http://ariel.astro.gla.ac.uk/w/bin/view/Instruments/SmallRadioTelescope), a 408-MHz [pulsar telescope](http://obs.astro.gla.ac.uk/pulsartelescope/) monitoring PSR B0329+54, a [Callisto system](http://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/?page_id=1432) monitoring the Sun and a 3-cm moonbounce system (under development). There is a small planetarium beneath the solar dome. Site information - **How to find the Acre Road Observatory:** - [Google Maps](http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=116969709558546201003.00045c77f60af038644ff&ll=55.902595,-4.30773&spn=0.002701,0.00802&z=18) - [Openstreetmap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=17/55.90257/-4.30891) - WGS84 coords of the [main dome](https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=19/55.90230/-4.30715&layers=N): 55� 54' 8.29'' N, -4� 18' 25.93'' E, height ~50 m. - The WGS84 coords of [Cochno dome](https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/55.93922/-4.40548):55�56'22.1" N -4�24'19.7"E, height ~150 m. - **The** [history](http://www.astro.gla.ac.uk/observatory/history/obs-hist.shtml) **of the Observatories.** - **Observing nights**, organised through [Astrosoc](https://astrosocgla.wordpress.com/). See also The [Astronomical Society of Glasgow](https://www.theasg.org.uk/) who use the Acre Road Observatory occasionally and the [Helensburgh Astronomical Society](http://hel-astro-soc.org.uk/)[.](http://hel-astro-soc.org.uk/) - **Observatory contacts:** [Prof. Graham Woan](mailto:graham.woan@glasgow.ac.uk) (Director), [Mr](mailto:Colin.Hunter@glasgow.ac.uk) [Colin Hunter](mailto:Colin.Hunter@glasgow.ac.uk) (Technician) | |
| | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | [University of Glasgow](http://www.gla.ac.uk/) [Physics & Astronomy](http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/) | [Honours labs](http://ariel.astro.gla.ac.uk/w/bin/view/HonoursTeaching/WebHome) [Astrosoc](https://astrosocgla.wordpress.com/) | [Tonight's satellites](http://www.heavens-above.com/AllSats.aspx?lat=55.8642&lng=-4.2518&loc=Glasgow&alt=27&tz=GMT) [Observatory wiki](http://ariel.astro.gla.ac.uk/w/bin/view/Main/WebHome) | |