Guildford · Surrey Hills
Stargazing near Guildford.
From the middle of Guildford you see only the brightest stars. Ten minutes up the hill, on the North Downs at Newlands Corner, the sky opens out: the Milky Way on a moonless night, and through a 12-inch telescope the Moon's craters, Saturn's rings and Jupiter's moons.
Where
Newlands Corner, ten minutes from the town centre.
Leave Guildford eastwards on the A25 towards Dorking, and the car park is at the top of the hill: Drove Road, Albury, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8SE. Parking is free in the evening.
Up on the chalk ridge the views are wide in almost every direction and the town's lights stay below and behind you. From Merrow, Burpham or Shalford it is closer still.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The evening
What a night looks like.
Small and private
Just your group — family, friends, a couple with a friend — not a crowd queuing for the eyepiece. 3 hours as standard, longer when the sky is generous.
Real views
The Moon and the planets first, then star clusters, double stars and the brighter nebulae. What you will see →
Simple price
£50 per adult, £30 for children under 16, minimum 3 people. Nothing paid in advance: we decide on the day, with the weather.
Or at home
A telescope in your Guildford garden.
Would you rather stay at home? I can bring the telescope to your garden or party in Guildford — the same prices plus £50 travel. A garden with an open view to the south and the outside lights switched off works surprisingly well, even in town: the Moon and the planets are bright enough to shine through the town's glow.
Tonight
What's up over Guildford tonight?
Sunset, darkness, the Moon and the planets for this evening, worked out for the Surrey Hills: the sky tonight →
Dress warmer than you think
On top of the Downs it is breezier and colder than in town. A hat, a scarf, warm layers and a flask of tea make the evening.
or call / text +44 7404 933156 Alex