Cygnus Observatory Dome Fundraising Appeal
Help us replace your ageing & leaking observatory dome.
About
The Cygnus Observatory was built by Sunderland Astronomical Society (SAS) members in 1993.
It remains the only public observatory in Tyne & Wear and is open to the public every Thursday evening free of any charge
Like any society the Sunderland Astronomical Society brings a lot of enjoyment to its members, but in turn those members have excelled at bringing enjoyment and knowledge to their community.
Schools, Scouts and numerous local authority functions have benefited from the enthusiasm and experience of our members, along with a huge array of astronomical equipment which is entirely funded by the society.
The society has set itself the goal of raising £15,000 of addition funds to allow its activities to be expanded to the benefit of both its members and the public at large.
The programmed improvements include a fully automated observatory dome plus additional telescope accessories which will provide easier operation and the ability to control the observatory remotely, providing images of the night sky on screen within the Wetlands facility.
The observatory already supports extensive outreach programmes, numerous external organisations and benefits thousands of people in the North East every year..
A huge number of those living in the north-east have no access to a telescope and the night sky.
The development program will enable the society to support more people who foster an interest in the night sky, the science of astronomy and the great show that goes on above us every clear night.
Please help us raise the funds to take this program forward.
We are registered charity and non-profit society, so all funds go directly to the observatory.
Donate Now
Donating online is easy, secure and ensures that all of your money is used on the observatory dome.
There are a multiple ways to donate.
We Need Your Support
So far we have raised £2,300 towards our £15,000 target!
Thank you for your support !
Big things from small beginnings
Why not be a part of something astronomical.
Join our cause and directly support our society in promoting Astronomy and Astronomy outreach in your community.
We also need your help fundraising other outreach items
SAS is growing rapidly and so is its outreach capabilities.
You can directly support our society in promoting astronomy outreach & public engagement in your community.
Laptops x2
Required for the better astronomy engagement & outreach (Cost: £2,000).
1 Discovery Room & public outreach & 1 for control system in observatory.
HD Projector
For greater astronomy talks, tutorials, engagement & outreach.
Current projector has broken down and too expensive to repair (Cost: £350).
PA & Mic System
It's working.
Our audiences are getting much larger, and our talks need to be herd, (Cost: £250).
Donate to other Fundraisers
One of the society's aspirations is enable remote operation at the Cygnus Observatory
Remote operation via the (for e.g. Wetlands Centre, Internet).
Interactive astronomy outreach.
