Amateur Astronomy For Beginners

A perfect course for those looking to turn astronomy into a hobby.

This course, run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, provides information on everything from how to choose and use telescopes, to identifying targets and planning observing activities.

The course will have a strong focus on developing a solid observational understanding of the night sky and how it changes throughout the year, but will also cover setting up and aligning telescopes, how to choose observing locations and plan observing sessions, amateur contribution to scientific research and a brief introduction to astronomy photography (for those looking for a more in depth photography course, consider our Introduction to Astrophotography course).

Those attending the course should ideally have access to a telescope when away from the Museum, enabling them to put what they have learned in class into practice in their own time, though it is not required.

While the course may be studied independently without prior knowledge, it is an ideal follow-on course for those who have attended Introduction to Astronomy.

Everyone taking a course is also entitled to a 10% discount on books purchased from Royal Museums Greenwich - please check with your course tutor for more details!

Age: 18+

Courses take place on Tuesday evenings from 7-9pm and run for six weeks in total. The full dates for the 2025/26 academic year are below; when making your booking, simply select the start date of the course you'd like to join:

• 04 November – 09 December 2025
• 24 February – 31 March 2026

Note: Each course is intended to be run on-site at the National Maritime Museum, although occasional online sessions may become necessary in rare circumstances. Please only book if you are certain you will be able to attend an on-site course.