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What do we want to do?
- Draw public attention to the importance of the telescope in astronomy today and in the past
- Highlight the unique contribution to UK astronomy made by Thomas Harriot (1560 - 1621)
- Celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first-ever telescope observations of the Moon made and recorded by Harriot at Syon Park in Middlesex on July 26 1609
Activities and Events
We are planning a series of activities culminating in a major event at Syon Park on Sunday 26th July 2009
- Exhibitions
- Demonstrations
- Observations
Hubble Space Telescope 
- Competitions
- Make and Take
- Presentations
- Memorial to Harriot
SUPPORTING WEBSITE
- Publicity
- Materials for schools
- Quizzes and competitions
- Information about Thomas Harriot for educational and general use
Watch this space for more details
Who was Thomas Harriot?
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It is almost certain that on July 26th 1609, several months before Galileo, an English scientist, Thomas Harriot, carried out the first observations and drawings of the Moon made using a telescope at his residence in the grounds of Syon House, West London.
There is very little public recognition of Thomas Harriot in the UK and no lasting memorial to his very considerable achievements in maths, physics, engineering as well as astronomy.
He collaborated with some of the most brilliant scientists of his time. He was a close friend and in the service of Sir Walter Raleigh, with whom he sailed to Virginia as a scientist/explorer. His lunar observations were remarkable for the time. His very detailed observations and drawings of the Sun and sunspots may also have been the first. He also recorded the motions of Jupiter’s satellites. Read this biography of Harriot, specially written for this web page by Dr Allan Chapman of Wadham College, Oxford.
Telescope 400 is run by the UK National Astronomy Week team - in existence since 1981
Our plans and this site are under development and subject to change