Bathurst Observatory Research Facility
Bathurst NSW Australia
Please like our Facebook page for latest news and images!
https://www.facebook.com/BathurstObservatory/
Bathurst Observatory Research Facility is an observatory site primarily for education, research and study, though we do offer general public viewing nights.
Open Nights Star Tours Available Now (conditions and limits apply)
Bookings will be essential for all tours.
(All tours subject to weather)
NEWS: Tours begin at the new site
Tours are underway at the new site. The site is not complete yet, however, are able to offer tours to help complete other facilities.
Tours will be generally be available any clear Friday and Saturday nights, however, we can also offer some tours, mid week for groups of 5 or more. Check to see if I am available.
Any clear Friday and Saturday Nights!!!
Note, Bathurst Observatory has moved and under construction!!!!
The new site, opened during 2020 and offers better sky, better viewing opportunities and a more unique experience.
No tours in the week of Full Moon.
Please note that the main telescope is pretty big and requires use of a small stepladder for viewing. Please advise if you would have difficulties with steps and we can set up a different telescope.
* There may be some mid week research nights where tours are not available.
Reduced Tours Prices for groups
Costs :
As the site is not yet complete with all facilities, we are asking for donation towards completion (an amount you think is fair for the tour and my time).
(Note: we have NO credit card facilities)
Tour bookings and Enquiries, phone (0427292214 Please leave a message as we screen out spam calls), or email us. (Email is by far the best way to get us, if you don’t get a reply it means you have us blocked!!! Please change your settings!).
Why “Open Nights”?
We used to do tours in the observatory dome. However, we found that the dome itself blocked out most of the night sky! Our visitors wanted to view through a telescope but be able to see and hear about the wonders of the night sky at the same time. We particularly had many visitors from urban areas wanting to see a nice dark country sky full of stars. The solution, set up the public telescope as nature wanted us to, on cleared ground next to the observatory, under the wonder of the Southern stars.
Our tours are conducted with the only guide with over fifteen years educational astronomy experience and with Bachelor of Education Honours Degree! Our guide is also an internationally recognised expert in the field of meteorites.
Tours require bookings and are weather dependent. (We can’t see stars through clouds!) Tour duration is about 1 hour, depending on time of year.
We cater for all school astronomy and space excursions, as well as general public telescope tours of the night sky. Primarily we offer our open night tours to inspire everyone to look to the night sky.
The Milky Way stretches overhead in this view taken at the Bathurst Observatory Research Facility.
The Bathurst Observatory Research Facility (Research and Meteorite Related Enquires and Public Viewing Nights)
The Bathurst Observatory Research Facility, located on the current site on Limekilns Road north east of Bathurst. At the research site, we study, comets, asteroids, variable stars, meteors and meteorites. For research related enquires please email us.
We also welcome any enquires or questions you may have on Astronomy, Space or meteorite related matters.
Our FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/BathurstObservatory/ is regularly updated, so have a look for the latest news and images from the observatory.
Other Tours
Solar Telescope Tours (Viewing the Sun)
On occasions, we are able to offer daytime telescope views of the sun. We have a special telescope that allows you to SAFELY view the sun. At present the availability of these tours will depend on three factors.
- that I’m available on the day.
- it is not cloudy.
- that the sun has some active features.
The third point is important, as sometimes the sun can be quiet and not as interesting to see.
These tours will be about 15 minutes in duration and by gold coin donation. Bookings for a solar tour would be essential.
Keep up to date with our latest News.
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We value your privacy and do not share your information.
A quick image of Comet Pons Brooks on the 6th of May. This was still in twilight as I had to beat incoming cloud (clouded over just in prime imaging time!). If I can capture it out of twilight, there should be a lot more detail! ... See MoreSee Less
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No chance here Ray....well done. You were right about the weather. Rot your socks wouldn't it?
Oh so the comet ☄️ is still hanging around I thought it would be long gone. I’ve not managed to see it yet.
Nice shot. Clouds here in Cudal that cleared just before it dropped into the trees.
Yep, another good viewing tonight.
Too much cloud to get the telescope ready, so just popped the camera on a tripod for this quick image of 12P Comet Pons Brooks on the 5th of May. I have had a run (like most) of cloudy weather during this optimum time for imaging.
Don't forget June tour dates posted yesterday! ... See MoreSee Less
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Here is a shot i got from Cudal tonight, too wet underfoot to setup the scope and mount, so i did the same - Camera on tripod . The only cloud was right where you don't want 😑
I have been pretty booked up for May, so here are some June tour dates....
June 1st (TBC)
June 14th and 15th
and June 21st and 22nd
Tours are still donation entry, bookings essential and tours this time of year are 7:30pm. Book via email or message.
In other news, bit of a disappointing weekend weather wise. The cloud has meant no comet images while it is at its best, no meteor shower visible and also no tours for those people who had booked in weeks ago. ... See MoreSee Less
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Can I please book myself and my son for 15th June
Can we please rebook for 3 if it goes ahead on the 1st June please?
Pat Drury Hannah would love this
Still some twilight, but at last some detail in comet Pons Brooks on the 27th of April.
I've had a lot of enquires for tours lately but admit to being pretty well booked until mid May. I will post available tour dates as soon as I can, once past the rush! ... See MoreSee Less
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Looks amazing. How do you find it in the sky? We have both a small telescope and binoculars.
So how long will it take until we can’t see it is coming closer or is it leaving?
Through our binoculars pending which way i have the lens focused it can look like a glittery patch or i get a bright glittery tail. Looks awesome
Thank you for putting up your photos.
The beautiful Outer space
ooh can make out the green, that's something to do with it's temperature and composition
Christine Parish
Nicki HitchenCallan
James Haiky Truong
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Comet Pons Brooks, 26th April. I managed to get a nice image, just as the Moon was rising. From tomorrow, I should be able to get it in moonless sky (hence why I guess lots of rain and cloud is predicted next week!).
The comet's complex tails are starting to reveal themselves. It has both, dust and ion tails in a few forms. ... See MoreSee Less
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Great shot. I'm going to give it a go tomorrow, saw it in the scope for the first time tonight, not much smoke tonight.
Nice work I am just processing my image from tonight
WOOOOW that's amazing
I must be looking in the wrong spot (lithgow)
Magic shots
Beautiful
Matthew Jarrett
Warren Robins
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Comet 12P Pons Brooks on the 25th April. It was seen in binoculars (the comet requires a telescope or binoculars). The image was taken with a 150mm diameter F5 telescope. It should be a nice photographic object in a couple of days when the bright moon is out of the evening sky.
I posted a finder chart recently, for those with optical aid, to see or image it. ... See MoreSee Less
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Great stuff Bathurst Observatory, i was clouded out tonight!
From Molong wit Nikon 5600 -55-300 lens.
Kathleen Moore
Brooke Coolidge
Georgie
Pat Drury
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With the Moon leaving the evening sky late April, early May, I thought I would provide a finder chart for those wanting to try and find comet 12P Pons Brooks in a darker sky. This chart plots the positions each night from the 29th of April (lowest yellow dot) to the 10th of May (highest yellow dot) looking west. These are for around 6:30 pm on each of those nights. The number at the end represents the predicted brightness. NOTE: YOU WILL REQUIRE A TELESCOPE OR GOOD BINOCULARS TO SEE THE COMET.
The constellation of Orion low in the west will make a good starting point to find the comet. Remember, the comet only very slowly changes position relative to the background stars night after night. ... See MoreSee Less
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Can you please mark Jupiter on this map? Very helpful thanks. Will be looking
Thank you. That is helpful
thank you for this.., it gives me a chance..i do have binocs this time...
Michelle Hadley
Warren Robins
Mink Tuangporn Gough
Thank you 😃🌑🌟☄️
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Comet 12P Pons Brooks on the evening of the 22nd April. Still hard to view due to a near full moon and twilight. In the image you can 'just' make out an ion and dust tails. Remember this is an image taken with a telescope. You could not see the comet with just your eyes!
It was really sad hearing how wrong the media was reporting on this comet tonight. I heard reports such as "streaking across the sky, visible to the eye, and best night to see it" all totally incorrect!
I am looking forward to next week when it can be imaged against a dark sky! ... See MoreSee Less
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Thank you, I took my son out tonight and couldn’t make anything out. We thought we had missed the opportunity but will try again next week.
Helen Crosland tried last night and tonight but just can’t see it. I’ll try next week too I think
Oh that’s good to hear they got it wrong. We all still have a chance to see it. Do we look to the west?
My dad saw it with his eyes and took photos of it at 5.25 on the north coast
Couldn't see with naked eye but spotted it with binoculars not real clear. Glad you do excellent job thank you.
I heard the news tonight say "lighting up the night sky".. bloody media 🤔
Yep. Us along with 4 other couples had perfect views of the horizon from Dural (NSW) and could see where it was supposed to be…. Even with binoculars, none of us could spot it. Such a shame!!! Great to meet other amateur enthusiasts though.
Comets do not 'streak across the sky', they get confused with meteors.
‘Lit up the sky’ was another phrase used. Which all makes for disappointment.
Rach Hart Carole Hart looks like next week might be the better viewing
love ya work
The media can beat anything up with there hype
Alexis
Jennifer Cummings
Kai Naylor
Liz Domingue
Andrew Gardner
Ben Gaudron
Cheree Andrews
Viv Collings
Timmy!!!
Lara Fullgrabe
Taylor Carpenter Shane Carpenter
Christine Parish
Thanks for that.
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A couple of images of 12P Pons Brooks on the 21st April. It was just visible in binoculars despite bright moonlight and twilight interference. These images were taken with a small 150mm diameter F5 telescope at 18:50-19:10. ... See MoreSee Less
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We saw it tonight from Mungo NP, after sunset in the low western sky, as the moon was rising in the east. Magical night
Well done 👍 I had trouble finding it for all the smoke in the west of Cudal.
Excellent work!
We were looking from Mt.Pan but no luck identifying it. 🙁
Brittani Rose I want to go find this green comet
Rach Hart
John Batchelor
Liz Barnes
Susi Crawford
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