Swansea's Observatory is located in Swansea's Maritime Quarter and was built by Swansea City Council with the help of a 50% grant from the European Development Fund. Its Fred Jenkins 20 inch Shafer-Maksutov Reflector telescope is one of the largest in Wales and is housed in the Tower of the Ecliptic, arguably the pinnacle of the marina's architecturally themed buildings. The tower's dome floats upon a channel of water, layered with oil to prevent evaporation, and can be turned with just one hand. When first raised to its position, however, it was found to be 10 centimetres out and so had to be lowered again whilst work was undertaken to correct the difference.
The observatory is a two tower construction and is built upon an hexagonal platform extension to the marina's large sea wall. The right-angle front tower, which houses the Swansea Astronomical Society's telescopes and equipment, is built of handmade Southern Irish bricks and also houses an exhibition centre where examples of the society's work can be viewed. Live images, broadcast from the observatory's new solar telescope, can also be viewed on monitors located in the exhibition room.
The observatory's second tower, topped by the splendid figure of a girl holding hoops (representing the orbits of the planets), contains a spiral staircase that allows access to the first tower's various floors via four open walkways. The stairway encircles an impressive distance-scaled model of the solar system and peaks with a spectacular pastel coloured stained glass roof:
The observatory is open to the public through Swansea Astronomical Society's Star-Parties. These are open evenings where the society introduces itself and its work to the public and allows them access to the observatory's telescopes. Children are welcomed at these evenings but they must be accompanied by responsible adults. These FREE Star-Parties are staged at least six times a year. The society also runs very successful and entertaining school visits.
The Marina Tower observatory is open to the public on every Tuesday and Thursday at 1-00pm to 4-00pm through July and August.
Swansea Observatory
