Mills Observatory

Mills Observatory Britain’s first purpose-built public observatory. Our friendly staff are on hand to help and advise.

Britain’s first purpose-built public observatory enjoys a magnificent woodland setting on the summit of Balgay Hill. Watch stars and planets through our telescopes, or admire the scenery with some spectacular treetop vistas across ‘the silvery Tay’. With fascinating space exploration and astronomical displays, planetarium shows and a fully computerised telescope that can detect 30,000 objects in t

he sky, there’s so much to see, do and learn! Mills Observatory is owned by Dundee City Council and operated by Leisure & Culture Dundee.

Meet Cygnus the Swan ✨ As September's darker skies return, look south to spot Cygnus the Swan, one of the most recognisa...
01/09/2026

Meet Cygnus the Swan ✨

As September's darker skies return, look south to spot Cygnus the Swan, one of the most recognisable constellations in the night sky. Its bright star Deneb, a blue supergiant shining around 100,000 times brighter than our Sun, marks the Swan's tail and sits high overhead.

The chart shows the sky above Dundee at 9pm on 15th September 2026.
[Chart courtesy of www.heavens-above.com]

For more information, visit our Sky Diary: www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills/sky-diary

Please remember we are now closed for the summer and look forward to welcoming you back on October 1, 2026.

Partial Lunar Eclipse 🌕🌑 Set your alarm for the early hours of 28 August! A partial lunar eclipse will see up to 90% of ...
26/08/2026

Partial Lunar Eclipse 🌕🌑

Set your alarm for the early hours of 28 August! A partial lunar eclipse will see up to 90% of the Moon immersed in Earth's shadow, with maximum eclipse occurring at 5.12am.

As the Moon moves deeper into Earth's shadow, it may take on beautiful orange or amber tones caused by sunlight being filtered through Earth's atmosphere. No special equipment is needed for this event, just a clear view of the western horizon and hopefully some cloud-free skies.

For more information, visit our Sky Diary:
www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills/sky-diary

Please remember we are now closed for the summer and look forward to welcoming you back on October 1, 2026.

Perseid Meteor Shower 🌠 After the solar eclipse, keep looking up! The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak during the ...
12/08/2026

Perseid Meteor Shower 🌠

After the solar eclipse, keep looking up! The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak during the early hours of 13 August. Under ideal conditions, observers could see more than 80 meteors per hour racing across the sky.

This year's display is especially promising, with a very young Moon providing darker skies and excellent viewing conditions. Perseid meteors are often bright and can leave glowing trails that linger for a few seconds. The best viewing period runs from around 10pm on 12 August through to dawn on 13 August.

For more information, visit our Sky Diary:
www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills/sky-diary

Please remember we are now closed for the summer and look forward to welcoming you back on October 1, 2026.

🌘 Tonight's eclipse promises to be a spectacular sight, but safety comes first. Whether you're joining us for our event...
12/08/2026

🌘 Tonight's eclipse promises to be a spectacular sight, but safety comes first. Whether you're joining us for our event at Broughty Castle Museum or viewing from another location, please follow the guidance below to protect your eyesight and enjoy the experience safely.

⚠️ Important Advice for Safe Viewing of a Partial Solar Eclipse

Never look directly at the Sun with your eyes or through an unfiltered optical device such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, sunglasses, or smoked glass. Even during a partial eclipse, viewing the Sun without proper protection can cause permanent eye damage or blindness.

If you are using eclipse glasses:

✅ Check the lenses for cracks, scratches, or other damage before use.

✅ Face away from the Sun and put on your eclipse glasses before turning to look at it.

✅ Use eclipse glasses for no more than three minutes continuously at a time.

✅ If you normally wear prescription glasses, keep them on and wear eclipse glasses over the top.

✅ When you have finished viewing, turn away from the Sun before removing your eclipse glasses.

We hope everyone enjoys this evening's eclipse safely and responsibly.

📷 Photo credit: Ken Kennedy, Dundee Astronomical Society. Captured at Mills Observatory in March 2015 using a solar H-alpha telescope

Partial Solar Eclipse ☀️🌙 Don't miss the spectacular partial solar eclipse on 12 August! From Dundee, up to 91% of the S...
10/08/2026

Partial Solar Eclipse ☀️🌙

Don't miss the spectacular partial solar eclipse on 12 August! From Dundee, up to 91% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon, making it the best solar eclipse visible from the UK since March 2015. Maximum eclipse occurs at 7pm, with the eclipse running from 6pm until 8pm.

⚠️ IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun without approved solar eclipse glasses or a proper solar filter designed for solar observing. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe and will not protect your eyes. Looking at the Sun, even for a short time, can cause permanent eye damage. If you plan to watch the eclipse, make sure you use suitable viewing equipment and follow safety guidance carefully.

The images are courtesy of Ken Kennedy and were taken in March 2015 and October 2022.

For more information, visit our Sky Diary:
www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills/sky-diary

Please remember we are now closed for the summer and look forward to welcoming you back on October 1, 2026.

We're looking forward to welcoming visitors to Broughty Castle for Wednesday's Eclipse Viewing Event. Following the amaz...
10/08/2026

We're looking forward to welcoming visitors to Broughty Castle for Wednesday's Eclipse Viewing Event.

Following the amazing response to the event announcement, we purchased an additional 200 pairs of eclipse glasses, bringing our total stock to 600.

Due to exceptional demand, all eclipse glasses have now sold out, and we're unlikely to receive any further stock before the eclipse.

If you're planning to join us at Broughty Castle to observe the eclipse, please make sure you bring approved eclipse viewing glasses.

⚠️ Remember: never look directly at the sun without certified eclipse viewing protection.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

August Moon Phases 🌙 Planning an evening under the stars? Here are August's key lunar phases: 🌗 Last Quarter: 6 August 🌑...
08/08/2026

August Moon Phases 🌙

Planning an evening under the stars? Here are August's key lunar phases:

🌗 Last Quarter: 6 August
🌑 New Moon: 12 August
🌓 First Quarter: 20 August
🌕 Full Moon: 28 August

The New Moon on 12 August will provide wonderfully dark skies for enjoying the Perseid meteor shower, while the Full Moon on 28 August coincides with this month's partial lunar eclipse.

For more information, visit our Sky Diary:
www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills/sky-diary

Please remember we are now closed for the summer and look forward to welcoming you back on October 1, 2026.

Planet Watch 🔭🪐 August offers a chance to spot several planets in our morning and evening skies. ☿ Mercury appears low i...
06/08/2026

Planet Watch 🔭🪐

August offers a chance to spot several planets in our morning and evening skies.

☿ Mercury appears low in the north-east before sunrise during the first half of the month.
♀ Venus shines brightly low in the west after sunset.
♂ Mars can be found in the eastern sky before dawn.
♃ Jupiter emerges before sunrise later in the month.
♄ Saturn rises around 10pm and is ideally placed for observation during the early morning hours.

If you've never tried planet hunting before, this month provides several opportunities to spot our planetary neighbours.

For more information, visit our Sky Diary:
www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills/sky-diary

Please remember we are now closed for the summer and look forward to welcoming you back on October 1, 2026.

August's Sky Highlights 🌌 August is shaping up to be an exciting month for skywatchers! As truly dark skies return, we h...
05/08/2026

August's Sky Highlights 🌌

August is shaping up to be an exciting month for skywatchers! As truly dark skies return, we have three spectacular celestial events to look forward to: a partial solar eclipse, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, and a partial lunar eclipse. Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and enjoy some of the best observing opportunities of the year. ✨

The chart is courtesy of www.heavens-above.com and shows the sky at 10 pm on 15th August 2026.

For more information, visit our Sky Diary:
www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills/sky-diary

Please remember we are now closed for the summer and look forward to welcoming you back on October 1, 2026.

🌘 Where to Watch the Partial Solar Eclipse – Wednesday 12 August 🌘We've had lots of enquiries about the upcoming partial...
22/07/2026

🌘 Where to Watch the Partial Solar Eclipse – Wednesday 12 August 🌘

We've had lots of enquiries about the upcoming partial solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August and whether Mills Observatory will be hosting a viewing event.

The eclipse is due to begin at 6:07pm, reach its peak at 7:04pm (with approximately 91.6% of the Sun obscured), and end at 8:00pm. Unfortunately, our forecasting software suggests that the Sun will be extremely low on the horizon and unlikely to be visible from Mills Observatory during the eclipse.

We wouldn't want to encourage people to visit a location where this remarkable event may not be visible - but we also don't want to miss the opportunity to celebrate such a spectacular astronomical event!

So, we're taking the eclipse to Broughty Castle! 🏰

The open views looking west along the River Tay from the Castle grounds and surrounding piers should offer a much better chance of catching the eclipse and enjoying this rare spectacle.

What to expect:
🌞 Broughty Castle Museum and grounds will remain open until 8:30pm
🕶️ Solar Eclipse Glasses will be available from the Castle Shop from Wednesday 5 August.
£1 per pair, essential for safe eclipse viewing.
Limited stock of 400 pairs, available on a first come first served basis

ℹ️ Further information will be shared soon

This promises to be a truly memorable evening. Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and join us at Broughty Castle to experience the eclipse together!

Address

Glamis Road, Balgay Park
Dundee
DD22UB

Opening Hours

Monday 4pm - 10pm
Tuesday 4pm - 10pm
Wednesday 4pm - 10pm
Thursday 4pm - 10pm
Friday 4pm - 10pm
Saturday 6:30pm - 10pm

Telephone

01382 435967

Website

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