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  • The next general meeting will be on April 9th. - Barry Adcock will speak about "The International Mars Conference" held in Europe in late 2009.

  • Earth Hour Saturday 27th March starting at 8:30pm
    8.00pm Lecture: "Starlight, Aurora, and the Odd Street Light - An Exploration of Light" Light comes in many forms and discovering the secrets that it carries is the key to understanding our Universe.
    Getting involved is easy and if this is your first year participating, it is a great way to take your first step towards reducing light pollution and your environmental footprint.
    What can you do for Earth Hour in 2010?
    * Encourage your neighbours to turn off unnecessary lighting.
    * Visit the Ballarat Observatory and view the night sky under hopefully darker skies than usual, or in your own backyard.
    * Continue to maintain efficient lighting levels and turn off when not needed.
    * Continue to protect your right and the rights of your children and their children, to be able to observe the Night Sky, one of the great natural light shows.

  • Heritage Weekend - Open 8th & 9th May 2010 4pm - 9pm
    Theme "Out of this World - Travel On Earth and in Space".
    Lecture 4.00pm Sat & Sun titled "Alien Tourists - how fast would they travel, what do they need to get to Earth - could your neighbour be an Alien?"
    Displays, 3D Movies, Viewing at the telescopes if fine.
    More Information will be available on the website as it becomes available...

  • Federation-Adcock Telescope 2nd stage Work has begun on the end room on the Federation-Adcock Telescope building. This will be an expanded optical laboratory. The University of Ballarat Tafe Campus bricklaying students are completing the brickwork and the building students will complete the roof section. It is hoped that it will be completed early next year.

  • The National Trust is considering the listing of the night sky over New South Wales. More information

  • See our links page for a link to a NASA orbital display program and various other NASA links.

    • Sky Notes

    October to December sky information is available here.

    WARNING NEVER to look directly at the sun through a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical aid. You could be blinded.


    Items available for sale at the Observatory include:

    Astronomy 2010 Yearbook - $23 + $2.00 postage
    Observatory booklet - $5.50 + $1.50 postage
    Planispheres or star wheels - $14.50 + $2 postage. See what's in the sky and when.
    IYA mug - $6.60 + $5.70 postage.
    Astro-calendars for 2010 - $14.95 + $2.00 postage.


    NOTE - most astronomy Year Books, planispheres etc. give rise and set times etc. in UT (Universal Time, set by the Greenwich 0 degree meridian) or EST (Eastern Australian Standard Time) with no allowance for Daylight Saving Time (Summer Time).

    A book now in stock

    "Probing the New Solar System" by John Wilkinson $40 + $6.00 postage.

    Discounted Books - Pluto is still called a Planet in these books.

    "Astronomy-the Definitive Guide" - $21 reduced to $15 + $6 postage - excellent general astronomy information book. Good section on southern hemisphere, with seasonal north and south sky maps and south polar maps. Some maps are 'upside-down' to us, but excellent as finder maps. Lots of historical information, plus 'Choosing and using 'binoculars and telescopes; how to take sky photos with simple equipment.

    "Skywatching" $24 reduced to $15 + $6 postage.

    For more advanced observing, not in stock for sale, is "Hartung's Astronomical Objects." Expensive, but will last you for years. It may be seen at the observatory.

    To order an item or to obtain the postage cost for multiple items contact the Observatory.