KIELDER Observatory has taken a step towards its vision to make the dark skies of Northumberland accessible to all by investing in a wheelchair-friendly telescope.

The observatory has invested £10,000 in a Ritchey Chretein 16ins telescope which is fully automated and fully accessible for wheelchair users.

The new telescope utilises the same powerful optical system as the Hubble space telescope, Nasa’s 11 tonne space telescope.

Founder director and lead astronomer of Kielder Observatory Gary Fildes said: “This system makes a real statement of inclusivity from the observatory team.

“It is our explicit wish to provide a safe and caring environment for all who wish to visit us and engage with our universe.

“Systems provided by this new investment mean that we can now reach a wider audience and make astronomy accessible for wheelchair users.”

Access consultant David Burdus said: “I visited the new facility following the installation of the telescope, as viewing the night sky through a powerful telescope has been an ambition of mine for years now, so when an observatory right here in Northumberland rang me to have a look, I couldn’t believe my luck.

“On arrival, the observatory was level deck access with parking by the door. The views were everything I had hoped for and more – crystal clear and breathtaking.

“So often, venues are easy to get into, but the facilities aren’t. Well done Kielder Observatory.”

Since its 2008 opening, 80,000 visitors have gazed at the skies in wonder at Kielder Observatory.

With its new state-of-the-art observatory set to open later this year, the aim of the team at Kielder is to build the biggest public outreach observatory and planetarium in the world and to make it accessible to as many people as possible.