the scottish dark sky observatory

I booked this well in advance, the directions they give you are terrible, we got no where near the observatory and we were on the absolutely horrible road up to it for more than an hour, sliding everywhere as it was snowing and icy, we eventually had to turn around as we felt it was too dangerous to continue. When we got home I checked my emails and found an email from the observatory saying not to come up as the event has been cancelled due to bad weather conditions! They had my phone number in my contact details from my booking but decided to send an email, seriously? So we went all the way up for nothing. They also said that we should decide on another date to go back and that they would be in contact soon to take the new booking. It is March. I have heard from no one and no refund has been offered. I would definitely not recommend going here, the poor road and obvious poor service is enough to put you off. I will not be coming back, and I have mentioned this to other people that were interested in going after I put on Facebook that we were going and now they do not have any desire to come either. So thanks for a lovely time, we had a blast...

This is a fantastic venue if you are into star gazing. The road to the observatory is thrill ride for starters no prob if you're in a 4x4. Road is passable with care just take your time. It's very interesting even if you're unfortunate enough to book it on a cloudy night. The resedent astronomer gave an interesting tour of the observatory and video presentations. Will arrange to go back on a clearer night.

We visited the Dark Sky Observatory on 13th february for an "AstRomance" themed Valentine's evening. Be warned - it is a bit of a crazy drive to get to! However the company emailed us directions when we booked and, if you follow these to the dot, you will get there easily enough - it's a very bumpy single lane track with no lighting so just drive carefully!The place itself is relatively small, we went in and there was a group of about 20 people. there is a small meeting room with chairs, a small number of souvenirs for sale and a large projection screen. We watched a video & slideshow about the place and went straight up to the observatory deck & telescopes as it was a clear night & the skies can change and cloud over very quickly! The astronomer took us onto the viewing deck and had a laser type pen to point out different constellations & star clusters you can see with the naked eye. We then went inside to the larger of the 2 telescopes and took turns looking through this to the planet Jupiter and a few different stars. The dome itself is impressive and the telescope & dome actually rotate depending on what you want to look at so be aware of this as it was a bit disorientating in the dark! I thoroughly enjoyed using the telescope and the astronomer was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The sky clouded over after about half an hour and we went downstairs to the meeting room where we were shown an interesting slide show of various stars. We were also given some delicious hot chocolate and entertained by the 2 resident Labradors! Overall, it was a very interesting and enjoyable 2 hours and I would recommend it to everyone who has an interest in space & astronomy :)

As a keen amateur astronomer I was keen to see this facility. I have an 8" pedestal mount in a small roll off observatory of my own in the back garden - plagued by light pollution I am largely resigned to imaging. The main 'scope at SDSO is a 20" thing of beauty in a 5m motorised dome - I could have gazed through the 'scope all evening. Even on an almost full moon the view of M42 was breathtaking. Really. It's the sort of target people should be shown first off (sorry for the slight moan) without having to ask (until I did we were being shown Betelgeuse - which just looks like a pale orange dot and pretty unimpressive to the average punter). The moon was impressive, but TOO bright courtesy of the light gathering power of the big mirror and a moon filter on the eyepiece would have prevented near blindness!. Anyway, we moved on to some star clusters, Jupiter, and also Comet Lovejoy. I can only imagine what the deep sky objects would all have looked like on a still, moonless night. Unfortunately the evening we were there not only was there an almost full moon but the wind was so strong the dome flap was crashing around - I was seriously worried something was going to fly off! The smaller scope is a 14" Celestron SCT on a sturdy Losmandy mount and also offered nice views of Jupiter and it's attendant moons. The 20" is controlled by a rather humble laptop sitting low down and nearby running (I think) TheSky astronomical software. Having used this style of software myself it is impressive to look, graphical representations of the constellations etc and if the screen image could have been mirrored on a wall mounted monitor for all to see (while otherwise standing around waiting for a look through the eyepiece) .....well, just an idea. I note the 20" can be hired by the hour - I may be tempted! So, astronomically the visit didn't disappoint. We were invited to try taking some photos with our mobile phones, with some success.The observatory itself is an impressive structure, with a ground floor presentation room where the introductory video is shown. The resident astronomer started the presentation then disappeared into the control room through a folding screen door marked 'Control Room' and which was quickly shut behind him, before reappearing again on completion of the presentation, all a bit like that scene in The Wizard of Oz. We were then led outside and up the external staircase to the observing platform, and the two telescope housings. There is a chair climber for those less ambulant visitors, and the main dome has a perimeter spiral ramp, all making access easy if necessary. We moved between the two telescopes as the staff assigned different targets. In a way though the evening sort of 'petered out', some folks came and left fairly discretely and, although there was nothing much to go back into the presentation room for, we did so to buy a couple of souvenirs, before heading back to the car for the long journey home.Some negative points however, and recommendations to the Observatory: 1. The difficulties with the access roads are well documented. While the emailed directions are generally adequate, there was one turn off enroute, a sort of 'Y' junction, that wasn't mentioned and nearly threw us. Fortunately we made the correct decision and drove on bearing left. On the way back you need to rely on memory work. There's really no reason the SDSO cannot provide a few directional signs and/or distance markers along the route both there, and back. I cannot see it being an expensive undertaking, but it would offer the public on a dark winding road in the middle of nowhere some reassurances that they're going the right way.2. I'm really not sure why a coffee or tea was not offered or made available at any point. The facility is small, compact, but I don't see that a coffee machine would be a significant outlay or take up too much space and it would probably pay for itself in a short period of time. On a cold winters evening like we had a hot drink would have gone down a treat, and some soft drinks would keep the kids happy.3. I felt that the introductory movie was a bit generic and nothing that cannot be found on YouTube. I would prefer to have also seen some slides on the construction of the SDSO, some information about the telescopes etc. Something to make the experience more location specific.4. There's a wonderful open, elevated, observing deck between the two telescope housings. A few sets of binoculars, perhaps a couple of sets of astro binoculars, would have been a wonderful and easy addition. There's no reason why these could not be pedestal or tripod mounted, or even chained to the balcony (if losing them is the issue!).The above is just my personal opinion but nonetheless these four points are enough to merit me not giving five stars. At the end of the day if you hit it lucky and get a dark moonless night you are surely in for a treat. This is a wonderful resource and a place that I will return to.

The journey to the Observatory is a bit scary but worth pursuing. Very informative and educational. My 2 teenagers thoroughly enjoyed the video show, unfortunately the weather wasn't good so couldn't use the telescopes so will definitely go back when the weather improves.

Our visit to the observatory was a great experience. It is well equipped and the guide was very knowledgeable, finding us lots of interesting things to look at in the night sky. The location is very suitable, away from most of the light pollution of the surrounding towns. We visited on a clear night and it was fantastic to have a look at the various planets, star clusters, the moon, nebulae and even another galaxy. The approach road is unsurfaced and a little confusing in the dark, keep an eye our for the signposts though and you'll eventually get there. Wrap up warm as most of the time is spent on the observation deck and at the telescopes. Highly recommended!

What a hidden gem!-beautiful location near Loch Doon. We attended a talk on the international Year of Light which was fascinating and informative.We then had a chance to use the two telescopes . More people should try this, tickets were so reasonably priced and it was easy enough to get to.We would love to visit again.

A very interesting and informative night. The observatory is easily accessible in a normal car. It started off lovely and clear and we got to see some great close ups of the moon. They astronomer in residence, David, was very knowledgeable and helpful. Once the sky clouded over we went back indoors where we were treated to a short video and had some hands on time with various meteor fragments that have landed on Earth. A thoroughly interesting evening for all. Definitely worth a visit.

What a great experience, yes you are reliant on the cloud cover , not to mention the weather but ,if you wrap up warm and remain open minded, you will have a great time. Worth avoiding a full moon if you can ,as this limits Visibility. It is remote as you would expect, you travel on Forrest roads and the last part is a rough track , however everyone made it to the observatory in standard cars. If you have a sports car or your car is very low to the ground you may wish to reconsider or you could park further out and walk in... Take a torch if you are walking and wrap up warm.The young Astronomer David, welcomes you on your arrival and you are invited to be seated and to watch a film on the building of the observatory . He was extremely informative and answered all questions with ease and good humour. Our group consisted of 5 couples.After the film you go upstairs to the telescopes where you take it is turn to view the moon, various planets and stars. The astronomer uses a laser pen to identify various stars constellations and if the moon is not out and the sky is clear ,you may be lucky enough to see the milky way. On the 12 and 13 of December 2014 there will be a special viewing for a meteor shower. For those who wish hands on experience there are small meteors and space glass for you to handle .At only £10 per person, it is a must, if you are in the area .

Our visit to the SDSO was brilliant. It's a super educational centre set in a gorgeous setting. Even though part of the evening was cloudy, we saw planets, meteors and nebulae and had plenty of time viewing the night sky through the telescope. The reception room has informative wall displays, an excellent digital presentation and a lovely roaring wood burner for the chilly nights! Our host was very enthusiastic and informative and willing to stay on past midnight as the clouds had just cleared and we had crystal clear views of Jupiter and two of its moons. If possible, do a recce of the road to the observatory in the daylight to give you an idea of what to expect and when to expect it and, more importantly, so you know its actually not that bad and easily managed in a normal saloon car.

Fantastic trip here tonight helped by clear skies and mild weather. Very informative and friendly astronomer, David made the evening relaxed and fun. This is definitely worth a visit. Don't let the complaints about the access road put you off. Follow the directions on the website and you will be fine, it's all part of the adventure!

We didn't see too many astra - weather not so good, but the track to the Observatory (by Loch Doon, not Lock Doon as above) was arduous for our vehicle and us. However, ignore the odd naysayer on Tripadvisor who says you can't get to it, you can in an ordinary car, but it's an adventure. Download screenshots of the video on Youtube, try to make the drive before dark, and it's not so daunting. Nevertheless, a few more small signs by the roadside would help.Once there we found a motley group of visitors, and a very enthusiastic team of astronomers. The whole tour was really interesting, and we did see a few stars when the clouds cleared.Can I suggest that the presentations could be a bit sharper and the whole thing rather more organised. There is a certain amateur charm about it all, but a frustrating feeling of 'if only they had a bit more polish it would be so much better'.Still, it's recommended for the adventurous. And, although it was chilly even in mid-August, the wind kept the wee beastie midges away.

We went last night to the SDSO and had a fantastic time. The guide David really knew his stiff and was great at passing on what he knew with out being to complex or to dumbed down. Yes the road is very bumpy to get there and yes there are a lot of midges but when you see Saturn with your own eyes then through the scope it more than makes up for it and that is before you have even started looking at the stars and galaxy's. As it is set in the dark sky park there is so much for you to see with the naked eye and David pointed out some handy tips so that you can see them again and again.Granted we had a clear night so could see lots and i dont know what it would be like with cloud or rain.I will be back in the near future even. I am hooked and i want to see more.

Very enjoyable and different experience for us. Would definitely go back. Dress warmly and be preparedfor lots of midges.

If the weather is cloudy, it's an utter waste of time. The night we went the weather was rubbish - rainy and cloudy - but we had to book in advance through Itison. Ultimately we looked at the telescopes and had a PowerPoint lecture. The real low point however is getting there. The terrain is truly terrible. We have a Corsa and if your car is anything less than a 4x4, I would think again. You have to follow the instructions that are emailed to you or you will never find it. Don't rely on a Sat Nav and postcode or you will end up in entirely the wrong place. Our car took a bit of a pounding: the gravel road is full of large rocks, deep potholes and parts of it had sheared in two. Naturally, this attraction relies on the dark so getting out at midnight is horrific. I can understand on a clear night that if you saw Saturn etc you would rave about it but 5 stars from Trip Advisor is extremely misleading.