Editing Jodrell Bank Observatory (section)

==Visitor facilities, and events==
[[File:Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre 1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The Visitor Centre in 2009]]
[[File:Jodrell Bank new visitors centre.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|New visitors' centre being constructed at Jodrell Bank in March 2011]]

A visitors' centre, opened on 19 April 1971 by the [[Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire|Duke of Devonshire]],<ref name="zenith">Lovell, ''Out of the Zenith''</ref> attracted around 120,000 visitors per year. It covered the history of Jodrell Bank and had a planetarium and 3D theatre hosting simulated trips to [[Mars]].
[[Asbestos]] in the visitors' centre buildings led to its demolition in 2003 leaving a remnant of its far end. A [[Tent#Marquees and larger tents|marquee]] was set up in its grounds while a new science centre was planned. The plans were shelved when [[Victoria University of Manchester]] and [[UMIST]] merged to become the [[University of Manchester]] in 2004, leaving the interim centre, which received around 70,000 visitors a year.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/government+stifling+scientists/1888047| title=Government 'stifling scientists' | publisher=[[PA News]] | date=28 March 2008 | access-date=2009-07-13}}</ref>

[[File:Jodrell Bank Live.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The Lovell Telescope illuminated during Jodrell Bank Live]]
In October 2010, work on a new visitor centre started and the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre opened on 11 April 2011.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12998614 | title=Jodrell Bank unveils £3m discovery centre | access-date=2012-05-25 | work=BBC News | date=7 April 2011}}</ref> It includes an entrance building, the Planet Pavilion, a Space Pavilion for exhibitions and events, a glass-walled cafe with a view of the Lovell Telescope and an outdoor dining area, an education space, and landscaped gardens including the Galaxy Maze.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/visitorcentre/ | title=Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre is being redeveloped | access-date=2011-01-01}}</ref> A large [[orrery]] was installed in 2013.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-21936801 | title=Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre unveils 'world's biggest' orrery | work=BBC News | date=26 March 2013 | access-date=2013-03-26}}</ref> The facility also includes a history of Jodrell Bank exhibition, and a space dome showing various space themed shows.

The visitor centre is open Tuesday to Sunday and Mondays during school and bank holidays and organises public outreach events, including public lectures, star parties, and "ask an astronomer" sessions.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jodrellbank.net/visit | title=Visit – Jodrell Bank | publisher=Jodrell Bank Observatory | access-date=2023-04-16  | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330082211/https://www.jodrellbank.net/visit/ | archive-date=30 March 2023}}</ref>

A path around the Lovell telescope is approximately 20&nbsp;m from the telescope's outer railway, information boards explain how the telescope works and the research that is done with it.

The {{convert|35|acre|m2}} [[arboretum]], created in 1972, houses the UK's national collections of [[crab apple]] ''Malus'' and [[Sorbus|mountain ash]] ''Sorbus'' species, and the Heather Society's ''[[Calluna]]'' collection. The arboretum also has a small [[Solar System model|scale model]] of the [[Solar System]], the scale is approximately 1:5,000,000,000. At Jodrell Bank, as part of the ''SpacedOut'' project, is the Sun in a 1:15,000,000 scale model of the Solar System covering Britain.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.spacedout-uk.com/solar_system/solar_info.asp?site_id=2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051213212326/http://www.spacedout-uk.com/solar_system/solar_info.asp?site_id=2 | url-status=dead | archive-date=2005-12-13 | title=SpacedOut Location: The Sun at Jodrell Bank | access-date=2007-06-08 | publisher=SpacedOut }}</ref>

On 7 July 2010, it was announced that the observatory was being considered for the 2011 United Kingdom Tentative List for [[World Heritage Site]] status.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/7221.aspx | title = Applicants for UK Tentative World Heritage Status | access-date = 2010-09-04 | publisher = Department for Culture Media and Sport}}</ref> It was announced on 22 March 2011 that it was on the UK government's shortlist.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/mar/22/uk-nominations-world-heritage-status | title=UK nominates 11 sites for Unesco world heritage status | work=The Guardian | date=22 March 2011 | access-date=2011-03-22 | first=Maev | last=Kennedy}}</ref> In January 2018, it became the UK's candidate for World Heritage status.<ref name=Unesco_2018>{{cite web |url=https://www.unesco.org.uk/news/jodrell-bank-selected-as-next-uk-nomination-for-world-heritage-site-status/ |title=Jodrell Bank selected as next UK nomination for UNESCO World Heritage Site status |publisher=The United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO |date=2018 |access-date=22 July 2018 |archive-date=23 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723003554/https://www.unesco.org.uk/news/jodrell-bank-selected-as-next-uk-nomination-for-world-heritage-site-status/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In July 2011 the visitor centre and observatory hosted "Live from Jodrell Bank - Transmission 001" – a rock concert with bands including [[The Flaming Lips]], [[British Sea Power]], [[Wave Machines]], [[OK GO]] and [[Alice Gold]].<ref name="jblive">{{cite web | url=http://www.jodrellbanklive.co.uk/shows | title=Shows: Live from Jodrell Bank | access-date=2011-07-10}}</ref> On 23 July 2012, Elbow performed live at the observatory and filmed a documentary of the event and the facility which was released as a live CD/DVD of the concert.
On 6 July 2013, Transmission 4 featured Australian Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, The Time & Space Machine and The Lucid Dream.<ref name="transmission4">{{cite web | url=https://ramzine.co.uk/news/support-acts-confirmed-for-the-australian-pink-floyd-jodrell-bank-show/  | title=Support Acts Confirmed for The Australian Pink Floyd Jodrell Bank Show | date=6 May 2013 | access-date=2023-04-16}}</ref> On 7 July 2013, Transmission 5 featured New Order, Johnny Marr, The Whip, Public Service Broadcasting, Jake Evans and Hot Vestry.<ref name="transmission5">{{cite web | url=https://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/jodrellbank/2013neworder | title=New Order – Live from Jodrell Bank | access-date=2022-08-04}}</ref> On 30 August 2013, Transmission 6 featured Sigur Ros, Polca and Daughter.<ref name="transmission6">{{cite web | url=https://gigwise.com/reviews/83922/daughter-polica-&-sigur-ros-@-jodrell-bank---30082013 | title=Daughter, Polica & Sigur Ros @ Jodrell Bank – 30/08/2013 | access-date=2023-04-16}}</ref>

On 31 August 2013, Jodrell Bank hosted a concert performed by the [[The Hallé|Hallé Orchestra]] to commemorate what would have been Lovell's 100th birthday. As well as a number of operatic performances during the day, the evening Halle performance saw numbers such as themes from ''[[Star Trek]]'', ''[[Star Wars]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who]]'' among others. The main Lovell telescope was rotated to face the onlooking crowd and used as a huge projection screen showing various animated planetary effects. During the interval the 'screen' was used to show a history of Lovell's work and Jodrell Bank.<ref>{{cite web |last1=OFlynn |first1=Elaine |last2=Greer |first2=Stuart |title=Pictures: Hallé Orchestra stars light up Jodrell Bank |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music/pictures-hall-orchestra-stars-light-5827451 |website=Manchester Evening News |access-date=7 December 2022 |language=en |date=2 September 2013}}</ref>

There is an astronomy [[podcast]] from the observatory, named ''The [[Jodcast]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jodcast.net | title=The Jodcast | publisher=Jodrell Bank Observatory| access-date=2007-06-08}}</ref> The [[BBC]] television programme ''[[Stargazing Live]]'' was hosted in the control room of the observatory from 2011 to 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20958297 |work=BBC News |title=Stargazing Live: Behind the scenes at Jodrell Bank |date=9 January 2013 |access-date= 14 January 2013}}</ref>

Since 2016, the observatory hosted [[Bluedot Festival|Bluedot]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discoverthebluedot.com/info/travel|title=Travel|website=Bluedot Festival|language=en|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> a music and science festival, featuring musical acts such as [[Public Service Broadcasting (band)|Public Service Broadcasting]], [[The Chemical Brothers]], as well as talks by scientists and scientific communicators such as [[Jim Al-Khalili]] and [[Richard Dawkins]].