Essential Information

Type Events and festivals
Location
Online
Date and Times Available now
Prices Free

To mark the anniversary of Apollo 17 and 50 years since humans last set foot on the Moon, the Royal Observatory Greenwich held a live observation of the lunar surface online.

Hosted by Public Astronomy Officer Dr Gregory Brown, we took a detailed look at the Moon through the Royal Observatory's Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope, and examined the giant leaps for mankind made by the Apollo programme.

You can watch back the broadcast here:

We also delve into the history of lunar observation, as well as the next phase of exploring our celestial neighbour: NASA's ambitious Artemis programme.

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Visit the Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition at the National Maritime Museum

What’s On

More events at the Royal Observatory.

Images of constellations, the Moon, Mars, a comet and the Andromeda galaxy
Planetarium shows

The Sky Tonight

A classic guide to the night sky presented live by a Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer
Daily except Thursdays
Adult: £12 | Child: £6 | Student: £8
Royal Observatory
Illustration of Ted in a spacesuit in front of the Moon.
Planetarium shows

Ted's Space Adventure

Join Ted the bear on an adventure around the Solar System in this special live planetarium show for under-7s - perfect for little astronauts everywhere!
Weekends and school holidays
Adult £12 | Child £6 | Student £8
Royal Observatory
A family enjoy looking through a telescope during a science demonstration at the Royal Observatory
Experiences

Observatory Unlocked

Drop by and chat with our Royal Observatory Explainers as they bring science and astronomy to life
Saturdays and Sundays
Included with Royal Observatory admission
Royal Observatory
A red, yellow, pink and blue gas clouds behind images of Saturn and the Earth. Over the top of this are white, glowing sound waves and music notes.
Planetarium shows

Audio Universe: Tour of the Solar System

Experience the Solar System like never before - by travelling on a spacecraft that can turn the objects in space into sound!
Weekends and school holidays
Adult: £12 | Child: £6 | Student: £8
Royal Observatory
Drone view of the historic Royal Observatory buildings during the day. Trees surround a central group of brick buildings, with the distinctive 'Onion Dome' of the Great Equatorial Telescope in the centre
Events and festivals

350 years of Royal Observatory Greenwich

Celebrate the anniversary of one of the most important scientific sites in the world
Throughout 2025
See page for details
Royal Observatory
A collage of different moons of the solar system; Triton, Enceladus, Phobos, Pandora, Ganymede, Iapetus and Mimas
Planetarium shows

Moons Beyond Counting

Learn more about our own Moon and some of the more exotic moons of the Solar System in this show narrated by our Royal Observatory astronomers
Weekends in March | 2.30pm
Adult £12 | Child £6 | Student £8
Royal Observatory
An illustration of the sun's magnetic fields over an image captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory
Courses | Astronomy courses

Intermediate Astronomy

Acquire a rigorous scientific understanding of the Universe with the Royal Observatory Greenwich
10-week module held on Tuesday evenings starting 11 March 2025
£205 per module
Royal Observatory
Photo of the Andromeda Galaxy - a dark black sky sprinkled with stars
Courses | Astronomy courses

Foundation Astrophysics

A series of ten-week courses on more advanced topics in astrophysics
10-week module held on Tuesday evenings starting 11 March 2025
£200 per module
Royal Observatory
a historical photograph of stars the night sky in black and white
Talks and tours | Museum Lates

Pioneering Women in Observatories, 1880-1930

Discover more about the pioneering women who worked at observatories in the UK, US and Australia in the late 1800s, in this panel discussion and screening of the film Hidden Figures
Friday 28 March 2025 | 6.00-9:45pm
Adults: £10 | Students: £9
Royal Observatory
Images of each planet in the solar system and the Sun
Planetarium shows

Meet the Neighbours

Tour the Solar System and beyond in style with this live, immersive show packed full of spectacular sights and fun facts
Weekends in April
Adult: £12 | Child: £6 | Student: £8
Royal Observatory
A collection of multi coloured stars seen by the Hubble Space Telescope
Planetarium shows | Community astronomy

Morning Stars

Our more relaxed planetarium shows for those who prefer a calmer environment, such as people with ASD
7 and 11 April, 26 and 30 May, 2 and 16 August, 25 and 27 October | 10.15-11.00am
£10 Adult | £5 Child | Free Companion tickets
Royal Observatory
Images of different coloured stars, a nebula, a supernova and a blackhole
Planetarium shows | Royal Observatory 350th anniversary

Starstruck: The Sun

Join us for a special solar twist on our popular show this Easter, presented live by an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
Holiday weekdays in April (except Thursdays) | 2.30pm
Adult: £12 | Child: £6 | Student: £8
Royal Observatory
A view of Mars taken by the ESA Rosetta mission on its flyby past the planet. The deep orange red colour of its surface is broken by dark features on the surface and white polar ice caps at the top and bottom of the globe
Family fun

Out Of This World: Mars

Take a trip to the Red Planet in our Mars-themed family workshop
Tuesday 8 April 2025 | 10.30am - 12 noon
£5 per child
Royal Observatory
Ted the bear is stood on Mars, with a Martian rover behind him.
Family fun

Holiday to Space

Travel across the Solar System and help Ted prepare for a holiday on another world during a planetarium show and interactive workshop for ages 3-6.
10 April 2025 | 10.30am - 12.00pm
£5 per child
Royal Observatory
Images of Chinese constellations, the Earth, Moon, Mars, Crab supernova and some spacecraft
Planetarium shows

Chinese Astronomy

From stars to space exploration, explore ancient and modern Chinese astronomy in this live planetarium show
12 April, 14 June, 9 August, 4 October 2025 | 10.30am
Adult £10 | Child £5
Royal Observatory
The Veil Nebula as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. Filaments of blue, green, and red light cover the image, tracing different gases inside the curtain-like cloud.
Events and festivals | Museum Lates

Silver Screen Science-Fiction: Star Trek (2009)

Watch Star Trek (2009) in the unique venue of the Peter Harrison Planetarium, followed by a short talk from one of our astronomers
Saturday 19 April 2025 | 6pm - 8.30pm
£10 Adult | £9 Under 25s | £5 Child
Royal Observatory
The new crescent Moon alongside an antique qibla compass.
Planetarium shows | Community astronomy

Astronomy and Islam

Join us for a special show featuring the New Crescent Moon and historic Islamic astronomy
Select Saturdays and Sundays | 10.30am
£10 Adult | £5 Child
Royal Observatory
Image from below in the planetarium, showing adults and children reclined in seats looking up at domed image of sky with big image of the Moon
Planetarium shows

Planetarium Celebration Shows

Come and celebrate International Day of Planetariums with us in a series of one-off special shows, presented live by our Royal Observatory astronomers.
Monday 5 and Wednesday 7 May 2025
Adult £12 | Child £6 | Student £8
Royal Observatory
A composite image of the moons Io (small and yellow), Deimos (tiny and mishapen), Enceladus (white and covered in cracks) and the Moon (a deep grey and covered in craters) on a black background
Family fun

Out Of This World: Moons

Explore the moons of our solar system in this family workshop
27 May and 28 October 2025 | 10.30am - 12 noon
£5 per child
Royal Observatory

Main image: Moon: Big Mosaic by Andrea Vanoni, Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2022