Scotland is home to some incredibly dark skies. From the Cairngorms to Dumfries and Galloway, Loch Lomond, and the Highlands and Islands to name a few. There are endless possibilities if you’d like to escape the city bustle and look up.
However, it can be tricky to find these spots as they are hidden from civilisation to limit the impact of light pollution and keep them preserved. This is when suburban areas that still have great sky quality are needed more than ever to bring the stars to your doorstep – the Eric Tomney Memorial Observatory is doing just that. Located in Mugdock Country Park, it was built in 2022 for members of the public and Glasgow’s Astronomical Society to share their passion for the cosmos together. The observatory has been named after former president, the late Eric Tomney, who was a huge part of the society and was a long-established member.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the observatory opening at the end of September 2023 by Dr Alasdair Taylor within the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. With the park being a stones throw away from Stirling, it’s an ideal spot for those interested in getting lost in the stars. The whole day was filled with an extremely close communal feel, and the society members were fuelled with excitement over the future prospects that the new build holds.
The event was not just about the observatory opening, as the visitor centre was filled with stalls and displays of photographs, telescopes, and astrophotography enthusiasts. There was something for everyone. A particularly special moment I remember overhearing was a father pointing out the craters on a model of the Martian surface to his son as his face just lit up. This was a point that was made clear throughout the day: the night sky is for everyone. During the introductory talk there was mention of the space being used for anything from scientific research to simply being an escape for those with a passion for the stars – allowing them to share that niche with others.
A common misconception within astronomy is that you need large amounts of equipment for it to be worthwhile. This is absolutely not the case, and the Astronomical Society of Glasgow promoted this idea well within their engaging lectures. The introduction to the observatory opening was extremely moving. Dr Andrew Conway (ASG’S President) highlighted members of the society that had majorly contributed to the project and were sadly no longer with us. They are all remembered in a part of the observatory, many even have telescopes named after them in their memory. The final lecture Invisible Sun by Dr Alec MacKinnon talked us through the sun’s activity. It was extremely topical as we are now entering solar maximum – a fancy phrase that means more Northern Lights!
The highlight, of course, was Dr Martin Hendry, an astrophysicist at the University of Glasgow, cutting the ribbon of the observatory and officially announcing it as open as swarms of eager youngsters piled in to see the final reveal. Although as many mentioned throughout the day, the society will forever be adding to the project. It will never be entirely complete. I think there is something so incredibly exciting about that. I hope that astronomers in the area, especially those interested in preserving dark skies in the area of Stirling, make wonderful use of the space for years to come.
Featured Image Credit: Helena Cochrane