In August, we went to Jodrell Bank. It is a radio telescope connected to Manchester University. If you are headed south on the M6, it is worth a visit - about 5 miles off the motorway just past Manchester. It only cost £2 to get in. There's a lot to see, but I'd advise a nice day because a lot of it is outside.
The idea is that stars produce waves across the whole electromagnetic spectrum, and that what we can actually see is only the tip of the ice berg. Many types of electromagnetic wave cannot get through the atmosphere, but radio waves can.
The opportunity to work at Jodrell Bank would be a good reason to look at physics at Manchester University.
You can read more about their research at http://www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk/research/
