Curious about the night sky but don't know where to begin? You're in exactly the right place.
Torbay Astronomical Society has been helping people take their first steps in astronomy since 1956, and some of our most enthusiastic members arrived knowing nothing more than how to find the Moon.

You don't need a telescope. You don't need any qualifications. You don't even need to be able to point out a single constellation. All you need is curiosity — we'll help with the rest.

Your first visit — what to expect
We meet on Thursday evenings at 7:30pm (doors from 7:15pm) at Torquay Boys' Grammar School, Shiphay Manor Drive, Torquay TQ2 7EL, with plenty of free on-site parking.

Coming along for the first time can feel a little daunting, so here's honestly what it's like:

- No one will quiz you. Our meetings are a mix of friendly talks — often with a visiting speaker — and practical observing sessions at the school's observatory. Talks are pitched so that newcomers can follow along.

- You can just listen. Plenty of people come to their first few meetings, enjoy the talk, have a cup of tea, and quietly get a feel for things. That's absolutely fine.

- Questions are welcome — especially "basic" ones. Every single member once asked "so which one is Jupiter?" for the first time. We genuinely enjoy helping beginners.

- You don't need to join first. Visitors are welcome at all meetings for a small fee, and if you later decide to join, your visitor fees are fully refunded against your membership. So trying us out effectively costs nothing.

Under-18s are very welcome and simply need to be accompanied by an adult.

Don't buy a telescope (yet!)
This is the single most important piece of advice we give to beginners: hold off buying a telescope until you've looked through a few.  Every year, people spend £100–£300 on a department-store telescope, find it wobbly and frustrating, and give up on astronomy entirely. It's the most common way a promising new hobby dies.

Instead:
1. Come to one of our observing evenings and look through the observatory's Celestron EdgeHD 14" and our other portable telescopes. You'll quickly learn what different types of telescope actually show you, and what suits your interests and budget.

2. Start with binoculars. An ordinary pair of 10×50 binoculars (often £50 or less) will show you the Moon's craters, Jupiter's four largest moons, star clusters like the Pleiades, and even the Andromeda Galaxy. Many experienced astronomers still use binoculars every clear night.

3. When you're ready to buy, ask us first. Members are always happy to recommend equipment for your budget — and our For Sale page often has good second-hand instruments from people we know have looked after them.

What you can see with just your eyes
You can start astronomy tonight, from your garden, for free:

- The Moon — its phases change nightly, and even the naked eye shows the dark "seas" and bright highlands.

- The planets — Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are all easily visible to the naked eye at the right times of year. Check our monthly Sky Schedule  to find out what's up this month, written specifically for the sky above Torbay.

- Meteor showers — several times a year, no equipment needed. The Perseids in August are the highlight (and we usually hold a meteor watch party — see our Programme.

- The International Space Station — a brilliant moving "star" crossing the sky in a few minutes. Free apps will tell you exactly when to look.

- Constellations and bright stars — learning a few signposts (the Plough, Orion, Cassiopeia) unlocks the whole sky.

Stargazing in and around Torbay
We're lucky here in South Devon. While the towns have street lighting like anywhere else, genuinely dark skies are a short drive away:

- Dartmoor National Park — some of the darkest skies in southern England, around 30–40 minutes from Torbay. On a clear moonless night the Milky Way is unmistakable.

- The coast — looking south over the sea from spots around the bay avoids much of the local light pollution.

- Your own garden — honestly, far more astronomy gets done from back gardens than from mountaintops. Turn off the house lights, give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt to the dark, and you'll be surprised what you can see even from town.

A red torch (or a normal torch with red film over it) preserves your night vision — one of the first bits of kit worth owning, and it costs a couple of pounds.

One essential safety rule
Never look at the Sun through any telescope, binoculars, or camera without a proper certified solar filter — instant, permanent eye damage can result. This includes during eclipses. The good news: solar observing done *properly* is spectacular, and the Society regularly runs safe solar sessions using properly filtered equipment — sunspots, and with the right kit, prominences and flares. Come and see the Sun safely with us rather than risking it at home.

Free tools to get you started
- Stellarium (stellarium.org, also as a mobile app) — a free planetarium showing exactly what's in your sky right now. The single most useful beginner's tool there is.

- Smartphone sky apps — point your phone at the sky and it labels what you're looking at. Great for learning constellations.

- Our monthly Sky Schedule — what to look for from Torbay each month, written by our members.

- BBC Sky at Night Magazine and the Society for Popular Astronomy — both have excellent free beginners' guides online.

Common questions
Do I need to know any science or maths? No. Astronomy can be as simple or as technical as you want it to be. Many members simply enjoy looking.

What if it's cloudy? (This is Devon, after all)
Talks and indoor meetings go ahead whatever the weather — and cloudy-night conversations about telescopes, astrophotography and the latest space missions are half the fun of a society.

I'm interested in astrophotography — is that for beginners?
It can be! Several of our members are keen imagers (have a look at our Photo Gallery — everything there was taken by members). They're generous with advice, and even a smartphone held to a telescope eyepiece can capture the Moon.

Ready to take a look?
The best first step is simply to come along to a meeting. Check the Programme for the next date, turn up around 7:15pm, and say hello — tell whoever's on the door that it's your first time and we'll make sure you're looked after.

Prefer to ask something first? Drop us a line via our Get In Touch page.

Clear skies — we hope to see you soon.

Torbay Astronomical Society — founded 1956, affiliated to the Federation of Astronomical Societies. Patron: Professor Chris Lintott FRAS.