Space Live broadcasts combine the best in telescope technology with expert commentary from Royal Observatory astronomers.
Join our online stargazing events and discover the wonders of the night sky, with live footage from the Observatory's state-of-the-art Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope.
Astronomers and space scientists are also on hand to explain exactly what's going on, and answer all your space and stargazing questions.
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Stay connected and find out about upcoming Space Live broadcasts from the Royal Observatory Greenwich
About the telescope
The small Altazimuth Pavilion at the Royal Observatory contains a big secret.
On the upper floor, nestled within the original 19th century dome, sits the newest telescope to be installed at Greenwich: the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope, or 'AMAT' for short.
This modern 21st observatory is called an ‘astrographic’ suite of telescopes because they are designed to be used photographically with digital cameras, rather than simply with the human eye.
Due to the light sensitive properties of these cameras, when combined with well-machined optics they can reveal far more of the cosmos that the eye can detect.
AMAT can be used to capture high magnification views of the planets and Moon, safely image the seething surface of the Sun and take filtered images of nebula and supernova remnants. It also allows us to share the wonders of the Universe online, helping us broadcast regular live observing events on YouTube and Facebook.
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Eid moonsighting April 2024
Watch back our live broadcast from Tuesday 9 April when we scanned the evening skies for the new crescent Moon which signaled the end of Ramadan and the start of Eid al-Fitr in the UK.
Director of the New Crescent Society Imad Ahmed and Royal Observatory astronomer Jake Foster hosted the broadcast. They were joined virtually by New Crescent Society members from across the country, who dialed in to report their own sightings of the Moon.
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Ramadan Moonsighting March 2023
Watch back our live broadcast from 22 March as we attempted to sight the new crescent Moon which signalled the start of Ramadan in the UK.
Director of the New Crescent Society Imad Ahmed and Royal Observatory astronomer Jake Foster hosted the broadcast, covering topics including the links between astronomy and Islam, the Islamic calendar, and how you can sight the new crescent Moon for yourself.
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Moon viewing LIVE
It's been 50 years since humans last set foot on the Moon as part of the Apollo 17 mission. To mark the anniversary, join us online for a live observation of the lunar surface.
Hosted by Public Astronomy Officer Dr Gregory Brown, we'll look at the Apollo 17 landing site through the Royal Observatory's Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope, and examine the giant leaps for mankind made by the Apollo programme.
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Solar eclipse October 2022
Featuring live telescope footage and expert astronomy commentary, this is one of the best ways to see the partial solar eclipse in the UK.
Watch the eclipse using the state-of-the-art Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope housed at the Royal Observatory, and learn about the science of the Sun with public astronomy officer Jake Foster.
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Solar eclipse June 2021
Broadcasting live from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, watch the UK's partial solar eclipse from 10 June 2021. Did the clouds clear in time?
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Eid Moonsighting
Celebrate Eid al-Fitr and join us in sighting the new crescent Moon. Get the best tips for moonsighting from Royal Observatory astronomers and hear from guest amateur astronomer, Imad Ahmed, from the New Crescent Society.
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Observing Mars
Join astronomers from the Royal Observatory Greenwich as we observe Mars - part of National Astronomy Week with the Royal Astronomical Society.
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Apollo landing sites
Fifty years ago humans first set foot on the Moon - but what did we leave behind? Take a close-up view of the Apollo landing sites to find out...
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Transit of Mercury
Astronomer Emily Drabek-Maunder tracks the planet Mercury as it passes in front of the face of the Sun. This extremely rare astronomical event won't happen again until 2032.
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Total lunar eclipse
Settle in for a night of moongazing, and watch the Moon turn a deep red colour during the eclipse. No wonder people call it the 'blood moon'.
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