ASI Students Reach for the Stars at Newly Opened Sherwood Observatory

It’s been a week of stargazing as students and staff at the Air & Space Institute (Newark) have visited the new Sherwood Observatory and Science Discovery Centre in Ashfield. 

On Monday, the ASI team took part in Reach for the Stars: Science and Technology Careers Expo, showcasing the offer at the Institute.  

Later in the week, Level 2 Engineering learners visited, taking in a tour of the Observatory as well as watching a film on space engineering in the Observatory’s Planetarium. 

Opened officially back in January, the new centre houses a 59-seater public planetarium built upon a converted Victorian reservoir, which now contains the venue’s exhibition space, complementing the original 60cm-diameter Newtonian telescope and Radio Astronomy Centre.

Head of Newark Campuses, Penny Taylor MBE, says: “We were truly excited to be taking part in the careers expo this week. Ashfield Council were able to pull in more than 300 pupils from local schools, so to give them an idea of what we offer at the ASI just down the road was really valuable. 

“Most of our students have now visited the Observatory and have got a great deal of inspiration out of their experiences there. The students who visited this week were able to watch an hour-long film on engineering in space in the wonderful Planetarium. This really makes the link between industry and the skills assessments and skills they are picking up in their lessons come alive.  

“The potential for our learners was up on screen and these kinds of links, particularly so locally is why we’re so excited to be a partner of the Observatory.”