TECHNOLOGY A vision for the future


By Steve Wallace, Planetarium Project Manager, Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society


Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society (MSAS), celebrating its 50th anniversary, plans to build a Science Discovery Centre and Planetarium at its Sutton-in- Ashfield observatory, which houses a 61cm (24”) Newtonian refracting telescope; one of the largest publicly accessible telescopes in the UK. Founding members of MSAS


constructed the observatory on a shoestring budget using recycled materials sourced from the demolition of Pleasley Colliery. In 2019, a Radio Astronomy Centre was added to monitor solar activity and count meteors entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Our organisation is a charity


staffed entirely by volunteers, attracting nearly 3,000 visitors a year of all ages. Our ambition is to use the


wonders of the night sky to inspire a new generation to follow careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. We are developing a school visit


The redundant underground


reservoir will be transformed under ambitious plans from MSAS (Photo credit: Neil Pledger)


programme that supports the national curriculum. To meet the growing demand for


our outreach activities we need to expand, so in 2014 we purchased adjacent land, the site of a redundant underground reservoir constructed in the 1880s. We have an ambitious plan to convert this impressive example of Victorian industrial engineering into a Science Discovery Centre and Planetarium.


Last summer, the University of


Nottingham funded two architecture student interns, briefed with coming up with an innovative design to preserve existing architectural heritage features and be a landmark that attracts visitors to the area. The reservoir will be repurposed to house a multi- functional exhibition area and teaching spaces. Its roof will be the site of a 10m diameter, 60-seater,


planetarium surrounded by a viewing platform for portable telescopes; the planetarium has enormous potential for much more than astronomy. We will submit a funding bid in


September 2020 for detailed design and engineering studies, visitor experience development and a planning application. Before then, we need to raise £22,500 towards these costs. Armed with these commitments,


we can make a strong case to our potential core funder for financial support to cover a significant percentage of the project. We hope businesses will see the


potential and join us on this journey. On a practical level, we’re looking for a donation of about 750 tonnes of permeable cover, and support to lay it, to expand our car park to meet current demand.


For more information, contact Steve Wallace at projectmanager@sherwood- observatory.org.uk


business network March 2020 97


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