Don Valley Venture Scouts - Observatory Visit

Community Access Event

Monday, 23rd February 2026 (18:30 - 20:30)

Venue: The J.A. Jones Hoober Observatory

As part of Mexborough and Swinton Astronomical Society mission statement we host regular public outreach events.

This event is a closed event hosted for the Don Valley Venture Scouts

This event aims to assist the Scouts members achieve their Astronomer Activity Badge and Astronautics Activity Badge this requires the members:

Astronomer Activity Badge

1. Show what you know about the night sky and why the pattern of stars changes, night by night, throughout the year.

2. Learn the meaning of the terms celestial, equator, poles, circumpolar and zodiac.

3. Build a model of the solar system using everyday materials found in the home, such as different size fruit or sports balls.

4. Explain how the Moon affects the tides.

5. Build a telescope from two cardboard tubes or two A4 pieces of black card, and lenses.

6. Observe three constellations on a clear night and record what you saw.

7. Read a star map using a compass and red light.

8. Learn how to identify a satellite.

More Information - Scouts Astronomer Activity Badge

Astronautics Activity Badge

1. Find out how craters are formed, and what meteorites tell us about the universe.

2. Compare satellite images of Mars and the Moon with satellite images of Earth.

3. Build your own satellite dish.

4. In a group, debate about life elsewhere in the universe.

5. Find out about the International Space Station and how astronauts live and work on board.

6. Research a current space mission, such as a mission to Mars.

7. Build, launch and recover a model rocket.

More Information Scouts Astronautics Activity Badge 

Speaker: Various