Flamsteed Astronomy Society

John Flamsteed

To join the Flamsteed Astronomy Society, click on this link.

The Flamsteed is an amateur astronomy society at the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum (NMM) in Greenwich, London SE10.  It is named after the first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed. Founded in 1999, it is part of the membership organisation of Royal Museums Greenwich. 

Our 400 members represent the full range of interests and experience in astronomy.  Beginners are very welcome.  Our main lecture meetings are held once a month between September and June, usually on a Monday evening, in the lecture theatre of the NMM. They cover the full range of astronomy and space science – from black holes to solar eclipses – with guest speakers from all the leading universities and space institutes.

Talks on the history of astronomy as well as workshops on topics such as astrophotography, are usually held in the Peter Harrison Planetarium at the Royal Observatory Greenwich (ROG) or at nearby community facilities. 

We are privileged to be able to hold our meetings on a site of such astronomical significance, and to have access to the ROG professional staff who are able to host observing sessions using the famous Great Equatorial  Telescope and the new Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope, as well as the ROG’s Peter Harrison Planetarium.

Great Equatorial 28-inch refracting telescope at the Royal Observatory Greenwich © NMM

The Society regularly holds observing evenings using members’ own telescopes, typically on Blackheath. During the summer, we organise solar observing sessions for members and for the public at the Royal Observatory.

Eminent speakers at the Society have included Prof Dame Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, Dr Chris Lintott (Co-Presenter of the BBC Sky at Night), Prof Catherine Heymans (who is now the Astronomer Royal for Scotland), Kielder Observatory co-founder Gary Fildes, and science writer Dr Stuart Clark.

Membership of the Flamsteed includes membership of Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG). Membership of RMG provides you with a number of benefits in addition to those offered by the Flamsteed, and more details can be found on the Join Us page. Membership is open to everyone aged 16+ who has a passion for astronomy and a desire to learn more about the heavens.