Published: 12 January, 2012

SOME of the mysteries of the universe will – hopefully – be visible to the public during a special week of stargazing at Hampstead Observatory starting tomorrow (Friday).

Astronomers are hoping the January clouds will part and reveal the gas giant Jupiter, Orion’s Nebula and close-up details of the flame-spewing edges of the sun.

The telescope – tucked away in Lower Terrace, near Whitestone Pond – is the centre-piece of a series of public events.

Douglas Daniels, 71, chairman of the Hampstead Scientific Society, which runs the observatory, said: “Most of the objects we look at are interesting and beautiful. Have you ever looked at Saturn and the wonderful concentric rings around that planet? Seeing these things, it puts life into perspective.”

He said experts would be available at the observatory all day – even if it’s cloudy – and he recommended coming on Sunday morning to “observe the sun in all its glory” through one of the society members’ specialist hydrogen alpha telescope.

Mr Daniels told me he began stargazing after discovering a book in a school library while sheltering  from a “torrential thunderstorm”.

“I’ve a rather large reflecting telescope at the bottom of the garden. There must be millions of planets out there,” he said.

In 1898, a Hampstead JP called Colonel Henry Heberden gave the telescope – a six-inch refractor made by Thomas Cooke – to the public.

Following a local campaign, the county council ruled against it being set up by Hampstead Heath swimming ponds.

The society has around 140 paid-up members “from all walks of life” and many will be available night and day at the Hampstead Observatory throughout the week.

“[Friday 13] is not the most auspicious of dates,” said Mr Daniels. “But we are astronomers not astrologers.”

For more information contact www.hampsteadscience.ac.uk