This Observatory, situated at Mount Pleasant in Ballarat, was established on the initiative and with the financial support of James Oddie, and was formally opened to the public in 1886. When Oddie presented the Observatory to the people of Ballarat, it became the first municipal observatory in Australia.
Saturday: 25th Sept, 2nd Oct, 9th and 16th Oct. - 4 week Introduction to Astronomy Course. Download an application form here.
Visit the FREE RANGE SCIENCE website for information about coming events near you.
A Fact Sheet for the first total solar eclipse on the Australian mainland since 2002 has been produced by Astronomical Society of Australia. It will occur on 14 November 2012.
There are items for sale at the Observatory including books, calenders, mugs, planispheres. The 2010 yearbook is now available.
The Observatory is located on the corner of Magpie and Cobden Street, Mount Pleasant, Ballarat East and is open every Friday and Saturday evening.
For the local weather information courtesy of "Weatherzone" click here.
The banner at the top of this page is from a sketch by John Brittain when he was Superintendent of the Observatory, and shows its appearance in about 1922.