Eyes to the sky at Dumfries Museum

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Stargazing and navigating the night sky are being offered in a three-hour evening special at Dumfries Museum on Rotchell Road on the next two Saturdays, October 12 and 19.Museum staff and members of the Dumfries Astronomy Society are taking advantage of the site high above the town to offer an out of this world experience and the chance to learn about one of the region’s greatest scientists, Robbie Waland, and the building’s connections to astronomy.Dumfries Museum was originally established by the Dumfries and Maxwelltown Astronomical Society back in 1836 and their original telescope can still be seen today in the observatory room.The museum is centred around the town’s former observatory and the evenings will include the chance to explore some related artefacts – with short talks given by staff through the evening.The gatherings – which are free admission, though donations to Dumfries Astronomy Society would be appreciated – are open to all ages, from 6pm to 9pm.

No need to book – just turn up.Hot drinks will be available to help keep out the chill and organisers are warnings that warm clothing should be worn, along with waterproofs.During the course of the evening, Dumfries Astronomy Society will be teaching what we can see with the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes.And, as well as using the equipment, there will be the chance to learn how to find some basic features to navigate around the night sky from our latitude and how this revolves throughout the winter months.Among the museum’s collection are items gifted by the late Dumfries-born Robbie Waland who is famed for making advances in the study of astronomy and mapped the moon’s surface for the Apollo Space Missions.He created the telescope which was used to map