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Mysteries of the universe, Cheshire, England

Booking information

Contact an expert to discuss this weekend break

11 September 2026 - 3 days

Register for 2026 and we will contact when confirmed details including speakers and prices are available.

Spend a weekend with some of the brightest minds in science, as you explore the mysteries of the universe in an exciting programme that includes an excursion to UNESCO World Heritage Site Jodrell Bank to see the iconic Lovell Telescope. Based in a delightful 4-star hotel in the heart of Cheshire. 

Over the weekend you will hear from leading astronomers, astrophysicists and cosmologists, who will teach you about galaxy formation, the latest research into black holes and what iconic telescopes have already revealed. 

You will also visit Jodrell Bank, which has been at the forefront of a revolution in our understanding of the universe for more than 75 years, from the discovery of black holes to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Spend time at the site including an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the historic 'south side', the original heart of the observatory in the 1940s and 1950s. Ahead of your visit to Jodrell Bank, Professor of Astrophysics and an Associate Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at The University of Manchester, Professor Tim O’Brien will give a talk on Friday evening about the story of Jodrell Bank.

The weekend will be hosted by astronomy journalist, Stuart Clark, who has devoted his career to presenting the complex world of astronomy to the general public. Stuart holds a first class honours degree and a PhD in astrophysics. He is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a former vice chair of the Association of British Science Writers. On Saturday and Sunday enjoy a series of fascinating lectures from leading experts including Anna Scaife, Emma Curtis Lake, Peter Jenkins, Marcus Chown, Nicholas Crisp and Laura Woltz. 

You’ll stay in the charming Grade II-listed De Vere Cranage Estate hotel with a friendly group of fellow science enthusiasts. This experience is ideal for solo guests and there is no single supplement if you are a solo traveller.

This weekender is designed for anyone interested in astronomy or cosmology. It is suitable for all levels of experience, from beginners to serious cosmologists.

DAY 1: CHESHIRE ARRIVAL AND WEEKENDER INTRODUCTION

Arrive in the afternoon and check into your room at the stunning De Vere Cranage Estate, a historic hotel with a Grade II listing. 

You will then join the group, host Stuart Clark and the team from ·ï»Ë²ÊƱ. There will be an introduction to the weekend ahead followed by a talk from Stuart offering an introduction to the universe.

This will then be followed by a talk from Professor of Astrophysics and an Associate Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester, Professor Tim O’Brien who will talk about the story of Jodrell Bank.

Join Tim as he tells the amazing story of this incredible place, from its beginnings as the University of Manchester’s Botany Grounds in 1945 to its present-day role: forming part of a global community performing astronomical research that’s, quite literally, out of this world.

The evening continues with drinks and dinner with Stuart, Tim, your fellow guests and the ·ï»Ë²ÊƱ team. 

DAY 2: VISIT JODRELL BANK AND AFTERNOON OF TALKS

After an early breakfast, you will take a 20-minute coach journey to Jodrell Bank.

Famous for the towering Lovell Telescope, named for the observatory’s founder Sir Bernard Lovell, Jodrell Bank is one of the world’s leading radio astronomy observatories and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It operates a national network of telescopes studying the invisible universe – a universe full of incredible things: supermassive black holes, exploding stars, spinning stars that behave like cosmic lighthouses, even ripples in the fabric of space and time itself. Jodrell Bank even had a top-secret role in national defence during the Cold War.

You will begin your visit with a private screening of two short films introducing Jodrell Bank. Afterwards, split into smaller groups for the behind-the-scenes walking tour of the historic "south side" of the Jodrell Bank site. The outdoor walking tour is accompanied by an expert from Jodrell Bank and provides an insider look at the origins of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour will last approximately 1 hour 30 minutes and will take place outside, visiting areas of the grounds not usually accessible to the public. Please note that this a strictly outdoor guided walking tour of a working Observatory; as such, it will not be possible to access inside the Observatory buildings. One group will do the walking tour before lunch, the other group will do it after lunch. 

In addition to the walking tour, you will have time to explore the site at leisure including visiting the exhibition space and the Lovell Telescope.

Enjoy lunch at Jodrell Bank before transferring back to your hotel. 

Once back at the Cranage Estate, we have lined up the following fascinating afternoon talks, covering a range of topics which may include:

  • The James Webb Space Telescope
  • Black holes
  • Radio astronomy

Later in the evening, you can continue the conversation with drinks with our speakers before dinner.

DAY 3: MORNING AND AFTERNOON TALKS 

After a more leisurely breakfast, we’ve got a packed morning of talks and demonstrations. 

You may hear all about:

  • How galaxies form
  • The Square Kilometre Array
  • Astrophotography insight
  • Manchester’s first satellite

We’ll wrap up the three days with a closing discussion with the speakers, before you boldly go back to your home planet.

For those interested in astrophotography, Peter Jenkins will be giving an optional workshop on Astrophotgraphy after the event at 15:00 on Sunday for anyone interested. 

ADDITIONAL DAYS BEFORE AND AFTER

For those wanting to extend their time, you are welcome to arrive a few days early or to stay a few more days in order to enjoy the beautiful countryside around Cheshire or visit Manchester and its many scientific sites, including the Science and Industry Museum. This can be arranged for an additional fee.

EVENT NOTES

Full event notes will be issued a few weeks prior to the event.

QUESTIONS

Feel to drop us a line at tours@newscientist.com with your questions.

Booking information

Contact an expert to discuss this weekend break

Highlights

  • Spend the weekend accompanied by leading experts in astronomy, cosmology and space science.
  • Enjoy a private tour of Jodrell Bank's south side and an in-depth guided tour of this historic site.
  • The weekend break is hosted by astronomy journalist and fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, Stuart Clark.
  • Enjoy an insightful talk from Professor Tim O’Brien, Associate Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester on the history of Jodrell Bank. 
  • Stay at the beautiful, Grade II-listed De Vere Cranage Estate hotel.
  • Meet ·ï»Ë²ÊƱ Discovery Tours staff, space experts and fellow ·ï»Ë²ÊƱ readers.
  • Dinner and drinks with your fellow experts, guests and the ·ï»Ë²ÊƱ team.

Meet the expert

·ï»Ë²ÊƱ. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Dr Stuart Clark - Host

Stuart is an astronomy journalist who has devoted his career to presenting the complex world of astronomy to the general public. He holds a first class honours degree and a PhD in astrophysics, is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a former vice chair of the Association of British Science Writers. In 2020, he was awarded a higher doctorate from the University of Hertfordshire for “services to astronomy and the public understanding of science”.

Stuart’s latest book is Beneath the Night: How the stars have shaped the history of humankind (faber), and in his capacity as cosmology consultant, he writes articles for ·ï»Ë²ÊƱ. Through his company Expanded Universe Ltd., he consults for the European Space Agency, the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Fusion Cluster, and International Asteroid Day. He has written for, among others: BBC Sky at Night, BBC Science Focus, The Times, The Guardian, The Observer, The Economist, The Times Higher Education Supplement, Astronomy Now, Sky and Telescope and Astronomy.

·ï»Ë²ÊƱ. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Professor Tim O’Brien

Tim is a Professor of Astrophysics and an Associate Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at The University of Manchester.  He has published around 150 research papers, mainly on the study of thermonuclear explosions on white dwarf stars in binary systems. He has used a wide range of telescopes around the world and in space, including the e-MERLIN radio telescopes operated from Jodrell Bank, X-ray satellites, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Very Large Telescope in Chile. Recently, he has been busy studying the aftermath of the explosion in August 2021 of his favourite star, RS Ophiuchi. Tim is also Programme Director for Physics at The University of Manchester, was a co-founder of bluedot festival and plays a lead role in the heritage of Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Tim will give a talk on Friday evevning telling the amazing story of Jodrell Bank, from its beginnings at the University’s Botany Grounds in 1945 to its present-day role: forming part of a global community performing astronomical research that’s, quite literally, out of this world.

·ï»Ë²ÊƱ. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Dr Emma Curtis Lake

After obtaining a D.Phil in Astrophysics at the University of Oxford in 2011, Emma held post doctorate positions at the University of Edinburgh, Institute d'Astrophysique de Paris and the University of Cambridge. In 2021 she joined the University of Hertfordshire after winning an STFC Webb Fellowship.

Emma is a member of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRSpec guaranteed time observations (GTO) team who have observed two patches of sky that have been previously observed with many other observatories, including the Hubble and Spitzer Space telescopes. She is studying the properties of the earliest galaxies in the Universe with JWST.