Overview
Highlights
Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss the experience content, timings and locations before booking.
Why choose Peak Astronomy?
Unlike many astronomy experiences we will have the ability to use telescopes equipped with dedicated cooled astronomy cameras and specialist filters to view the night sky. This opens up the opportunity to experience the colourful world of deep sky objects including galaxies, nebulae and also the milky way. Astronomy also becomes much more accessible in urban areas with higher levels of light pollution. Without the use of a telescope equipped with a camera you would be limited to only observing the brighter objects such as stars, star clusters, the brighter planets and the moon.
Depending on the length of your experience there is also the option to capture a high quality image which I will then carefully process for you after the event. This will normally take up about an hour of your experience, and it will give you a good understanding of what is involved in astrophotography. If the skies stay clear, and my availability allows, I will continue capturing the image after your experience ends - with astrophotography the longer you capture an image the better the quality.
Please contact me whenever you are ready to discuss options for the content of your experience, either before or after purchasing your activity. We will also discuss potential locations for your activity, select a provisional date (if not already booked), or if you prefer you can just indicate roughly when you'd like it to take place. Depending on what you wish to focus your experience on could also influence the best times to hold your experience, such as taking account of moon phases and the astronomical seasons. I can help guide you on selecting a suitable date and location.
Flexibility & Weather
For me, flexibility is key to planning a successful night under the stars. For all outdoor astronomy activities your booking is valid for 1 year from the time of purchase.
Locations
All activities are bespoke and can take place at any suitable location in the area or at your own home or another agreed location such as a holiday property or suitable countryside location. The listed prices cover delivery at locations within a 25 miles radius of my base in Macclesfield. This includes the whole of the Peak District and most of Cheshire East, North Staffordshire and Manchester areas (see map on my website www.peakastronomy.co.uk). Activities can also take place at other locations across the UK, whether that be at your home location, or a particular dark sky location, interesting landscape feature or viewpoint. I can recommend suitable locations. This can be particularly useful for training courses or workshops focussing on the milky way or landscape astrophotography or to capture the highest quality images of deep sky objects.
For locations outside of the area indicated on the map please contact me in advance so we can discuss locations, timings and additional travel costs. In most cases an additional charge of £25 per hour will apply for travel time from my base to and from the location (excluding 1st 2 hours which are included in the standard price), although if I'm able to link your booking with another activity or a multi-night booking this could be reduced.
Peak Astronomy is delivered by the same team as the award winning myGuidedWalks, Experience of the Year 2023.
Inclusions
What's Included
🧰 Equipment - Telescopes and astronomy cameras are provided but if you have your own kit and want to bring it along please feel free.
📋 Other - Experienced astrophotographer
🖼️ Photos - Pictures taken on the night available to download
What you'll need
🧤 Warm Clothing - Warm clothing and warm footwear with good grip, hats and gloves. Standing around at night can be cold whatever the time of year.
☂️ Waterproofs - In case of a passing shower, although we'll aim to avoid these. Also good to keep the wind off and stay warm.
🍴 Food - Snacks for during the event
🥤 Drink - Drinks or hot flask for during the event
📋 Other - A head torch and spare batteries, ideally with a red light. The red light prevents the torch from disturbing your night vision. The torch doesn't need to be bright and it best if it isn't!
- Workshops are practical astrophotography sessions aimed at capturing amazing images of the night sky with tuition and assistance from me.
- All workshops are delivered on a private bespoke basis (you can also book for more than 1 person or a small group of friends).
- Either use your own equipment or I can demonstrate using my equipment or a combination of both. I have a range of equipment from small pocket trackers with a camera to telescopes on computer controlled mounts with cooled astrophotography cameras.
- Workshops can be delivered either from your own garden or other agreed outdoor or dark sky location (see more on locations below).
- Each workshop will be planned around your aims and interests and level of experience. Subjects can include but are not limited to: introduction to astrophotography, astrophotography with just a camera including timelapses, widefield and nightscapes including landscape astrophotography, astrophotography with a DSLR + basic star tracker, astrophotography using a computer controlled mount. Objects to image could include constellations, the Milky Way, the aurora borealis (northern lights), Deep Sky Objects including emission nebulae, reflection nebulae and galaxies, star clusters, star trails, the moon, planetary "Lucky Imaging", basic solar imaging using a solar safety filter.
- Available from £50 per hour (based on a standard hourly rate of £65, discounted to £50 if you purchase credits for 10 or more hours). Minimum workshop duration 3 hours. I will arrive approx. 1 hour before the start of your session to set up.
- Longer sessions and multiple nights can also be booked at locations within the UK. Your booking is also valid for any Bespoke Astrophotography Training.
- Available across the Peak District, East Cheshire, Manchester and North Staffordshire areas. Available at wider locations across England and Wales for an additional supplement.
- Accessible experiences available - you can even sit inside, linked via Wi-Fi to a telescope outside.
- Voucher valid for 1 year from the date purchased. Note: the date/time you select is the start of your 12 month validity. See weather and flexibility section below.
Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss the experience content, timings and locations before booking.
Why choose Peak Astronomy?
Unlike many astronomy experiences we will have the ability to use telescopes equipped with dedicated cooled astronomy cameras and specialist filters to view the night sky. This opens up the opportunity to experience the colourful world of deep sky objects including galaxies, nebulae and also the milky way. Astronomy also becomes much more accessible in urban areas with higher levels of light pollution. Without the use of a telescope equipped with a camera you would be limited to only observing the brighter objects such as stars, star clusters, the brighter planets and the moon.
Depending on the length of your experience there is also the option to capture a high quality image which I will then carefully process for you after the event. This will normally take up about an hour of your experience, and it will give you a good understanding of what is involved in astrophotography. If the skies stay clear, and my availability allows, I will continue capturing the image after your experience ends - with astrophotography the longer you capture an image the better the quality.
Please contact me whenever you are ready to discuss options for the content of your experience, either before or after purchasing your activity. We will also discuss potential locations for your activity, select a provisional date (if not already booked), or if you prefer you can just indicate roughly when you'd like it to take place. Depending on what you wish to focus your experience on could also influence the best times to hold your experience, such as taking account of moon phases and the astronomical seasons. I can help guide you on selecting a suitable date and location.
Flexibility & Weather
For me, flexibility is key to planning a successful night under the stars. For all outdoor astronomy activities your booking is valid for 1 year from the time of purchase.
- You can book a date and then reschedule if the weather isn't suitable, unless you'd prefer to go ahead on the booked date or have a training session instead.
- I will regularly review weather forecasts, and keep you updated in the week leading up to your booking.
- A final decision to go ahead will usually be taken within 24hrs of the booked date, although I'll take account of the level of flexibility you have, travel plans etc.
- I always aim to be as flexible as I can in order to ensure you have the best chance of a successful night and I'm happy to discuss any plans or changes. If you're not located within easy reach of the area we can also discuss how best to make a booking work for you, such as booking accommodation that can be cancelled if we need to reschedule or having a backup plan for indoors.
- Partly cloudy weather can still be good but forecasts of full cloud cover or rain will often require a reschedule or change of location ( just relocating by 10 miles can sometimes have a big difference).
- Timings shown are approximate only and may depend on hours of darkness and the weather.
Locations
All activities are bespoke and can take place at any suitable location in the area or at your own home or another agreed location such as a holiday property or suitable countryside location. The listed prices cover delivery at locations within a 25 miles radius of my base in Macclesfield. This includes the whole of the Peak District and most of Cheshire East, North Staffordshire and Manchester areas (see map on my website www.peakastronomy.co.uk). Activities can also take place at other locations across the UK, whether that be at your home location, or a particular dark sky location, interesting landscape feature or viewpoint. I can recommend suitable locations. This can be particularly useful for training courses or workshops focussing on the milky way or landscape astrophotography or to capture the highest quality images of deep sky objects.
For locations outside of the area indicated on the map please contact me in advance so we can discuss locations, timings and additional travel costs. In most cases an additional charge of £25 per hour will apply for travel time from my base to and from the location (excluding 1st 2 hours which are included in the standard price), although if I'm able to link your booking with another activity or a multi-night booking this could be reduced.
Peak Astronomy is delivered by the same team as the award winning myGuidedWalks, Experience of the Year 2023.
Inclusions
What's Included
🧰 Equipment - Telescopes and astronomy cameras are provided but if you have your own kit and want to bring it along please feel free.
📋 Other - Experienced astrophotographer
🖼️ Photos - Pictures taken on the night available to download
What you'll need
🧤 Warm Clothing - Warm clothing and warm footwear with good grip, hats and gloves. Standing around at night can be cold whatever the time of year.
☂️ Waterproofs - In case of a passing shower, although we'll aim to avoid these. Also good to keep the wind off and stay warm.
🍴 Food - Snacks for during the event
🥤 Drink - Drinks or hot flask for during the event
📋 Other - A head torch and spare batteries, ideally with a red light. The red light prevents the torch from disturbing your night vision. The torch doesn't need to be bright and it best if it isn't!