New activity takes off: Astronomy Society

Last Friday we officially unboxed the Astronomy Society’s new Skywatcher telescope. As you might expect, it quickly drew a crowd of curious pupils keen to see how it worked. After a bit of assembly, the telescope was soon ready for its first outing on the school grounds.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Over the past week, several planets have been visible in the early evening sky, followed by a lunar eclipse that many children were able to watch through the telescope.

Throughout the week, children have had the chance to try using the telescope themselves. They’ve been able to look at the Moon’s craters in detail and spot a few of the planets in our solar system. For many, this was their first time using a telescope, which made the experience particularly memorable.

It’s also been great to see the children helping each other - sharing what they’ve spotted, helping adjust the focus, and patiently waiting for clear moments between passing clouds.

We’re hoping for a few more clear evenings so that members of the Astronomy Society can continue practising their observing skills and exploring the night sky.

As one child simply put it: “It’s amazing how big space is.”