Welcome

Tolcarn Observatory is an established centre in Cornwall for education, observation and research. Our mission is to make astronomy accessible to all, through links with schools and through the Tolcarn Astronomy Group, while at the same time being a serious and accredited research facility. Director Grant Mackintosh is an experienced astronomer, specialising in spectroscopy. His photographs have featured in the BBC's 'The Sky at Night' and 'Stargazing Live'.

We have a number of telescopes housed in 2 domes and in our "rolloff" roof observatory. Our largest telescope is the Meade LX 200, 14 inch SCT. We have excellent facilities for photography and live streaming.

Andromeda Galaxy

© Grant Mackintosh F.R.A.S

Grant at the Big Bang science fair

Grant recieving an award for contributions to STEMNET.

Monocerous

© Grant Mackintosh F.R.A.S

M13: The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

© copyright Grant Mackintosh F.R.A.S

The Andromeda Galaxy

© copyright Grant Mackintosh F.R.A.S

Images of Mars taken a week apart to show rotation.

© Grant Mackintosh F.R.A.S

M81 Copernicus

© Grant Mackintosh F.R.A.S

The Milky Way.

© Grant Mackintosh F.R.A.S

Tolcarn at Dusk.

© Kim Mackintosh F.R.A.S

Comet C/2014Q2 Lovejoy.

Taken by Alec Jones from South Shields. © Alec Jones.

We will be collaborating with local and country wide astronomy groups and societies to promote astronomy throughout the country.

The Tolcarn observatory will mainly be conducting research into exoplanets..