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Observatories & Planetariums in Southampton

Nothing in Southampton itself for this one, but two places worth the drive. The Isle Of Wight Observatory at Sandown runs free stargazing every Thursday night, with a fixed dome scope and a few portable ones set up outside so you are not queuing for a single eyepiece. A longer trip out to Chichester gets you the South Downs Planetarium & Science Centre, where you sit under an 11 metre dome for a show on the heavens, then get a turn on solar telescopes in daylight or star-gazing scopes once it is dark. If cost matters, Sandown costs nothing and suits anyone happy to be outside on a clear night, weather permitting. Chichester works better if you want the sit-down show first, then telescopes as a follow-on, and it gives you something to do by day as well as after dark. Both are best on a clear night, so check the forecast before you set off.

✓ 2 places✦ 1 free to visit