Jodrell Bank Observatory
Jodrell Bank Observatory is part of the University of Manchester School of Physics and Astronomy. It is home to the Lovell Radio Telescope and the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility.
The observatory is located near Goostrey and Holmes Chapel in Macclesfield, the huge radio telescope dominates the Cheshire landscape for many miles around. Jodrell Bank was established in 1945 br Dr. Bernard Lovell now Sir Bernard Lovell.
The beautiful 35 acre Arboretum at Jodrell Bank houses the UK's national collections of Malus and Sorbus species as well as the Heather Society's Calluna collection. The arboretum has a small scale model of the solar system.
The visitors' centre at the site covers the history of Jodrell Bank and includes a fascinating 3D theatre which hosts simulated trips to Mars. There is also a path around the Lovell telescope, approximately twenty metres from the telescope's outer railway, which hosts a number of information boards explaining how the telescope works and the research carried out by it.
Directions
A537-Juction A535 Chelford
A50-Junction A535 Holmes Chapel
M6 -Junction 18 Holmes Chapel, Middlewich, Goostrey Station