Dubbo observatory

Your tour guide Peter Starr has a Masters Degree in Astronomy and was the former manager at Siding Spring Observatory.

The tour is the same as the night sky and telescope tour except it is limit to a maximum of 6 people.

Plus see more objects through telescopes.
Take more photos with your DSLR (Canon or Nikon) through the telescope

Have use of a pair of binoculars during your stay (adult use only)

No queueing behind telescopes.

Free 6 x 4" photo of a nebula or galaxy taken through our telescope
More personalised experience answering your questions.

The night involves
A detailed presentation in the theatrette teaching the night sky and astronomy, showing images taken at the observatory of the objects you will see.

Point out the stars, planets, and constellations with a laser pointer.

View through the main 17"telescope of the planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, etc

Detailed explanations of what you are viewing.

Answer all your questions about the universe.

If you bring your own a DSLR camera you can take photos of spectacular nebulae, galaxies, and globular star clusters through the telescope. We take 4 photos per camera. The objects we take photos of are listed below as are the compatible cameras. If you do not have a camera, my Canon Ra mirrorless camera can be used if you have a memory card that fits.

The show is limited to 6 people maximum. So you can book 1 spot or up to 6. Other people can book the remaining spots until the maximum 6 has been reached.

Note the tour is mainly outdoors so please wear appropriate clothing to suit the weather conditions.

Premium Session

Pre-paid Ticket prices.

$101.79 per person

includes ticketing and credit card fee.

Tickets

Go to the bookings page in the menu and click on the link to purchase tickets for the relevant month

At the Door Prices $110 per person

Cancellations

More than 7 days notice is required to receive a refund. Please contact me by emailing me at peter@dubboobservatory.com to request a refund. The ticketing fee will not be refunded.

If you cancel with less than 7 days notice, no refund is given unless we can resell your ticket.

If you cannot attend due to a government health order, e.g. you are from or have visited a covid-19 lockdown area, been required to quarantine, or self isolate a refund excluding ticketing and card fees is given if more than 72 hours notice is given. If less than 72 hours notice is given, a credit is issued for you to use within the next 12 months for a session of equal monetary value.

Cancellation by Dubbo Observatory

If the sky is overcast we cancel the show and give you a refund. We will notify you 45 minutes prior by text message if this occurs.

We also cancel the show if the tour guide is sick, there is a major equipment breakdown, or we have been asked to close due to covid-19 orders. A refund is given.

Darkest Skies 1st to 13th, 27 to 31

Planets: Jupiter 7 Saturn.

Moon* Visible during show - 16th to 28th

New Moon 8th,

First quarter 16th

Full Moon 22nd

3rd Qtr 30th

Nebulae

Lagoon Nebula, Swan nebula, on moonless nights.

Open Star Clusters

Jewel Box Cluster, Butterfly Cluster, Ptolemys Cluster, Southern Pleiades, Pincushion Cluster, Wild Duck Cluster.

Globular Clusters:

47 Tucanae, Omega Centauri, M4

Galaxies: (Moonless nights only)

Magellanic Clouds, Sombrero Galaxy, Centaurus A,

Planetary Nebulae (Stellar remnants): Ring Nebula, Dumbbell Nebula

Multiple Star Systems

Alpha Centauri, Acrux, Albireo

Comets (Moonless Nights Only) nil

Constellations Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn,Crux, Corvus, Lyra, Hercules, Corona Australis, Corona Borealis, Grus

Asterisms False Cross, Diamond Cross,. Fish hook, Southern Cross

Photography: We can take 4 photographs with your Canon, Nikon, DSLR camera

Lagoon Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Swan Nebula, Omega Centauri on moonless nights.

The best time to view the planets is when they are closest to the Earth and are ideally overhead in the night sky.

These are the dates for the Premium Session.

Mercury: Never in this session

Venus : Never in this session

Mars: Dec 2022 to Jan 2023

Jupiter Sep 2021 - Nov 2021

Saturn Sep 2021 - Nov 2021

Uranus Dec 2020- Jan 2021

Neptune Oct 2021 - Dec 2021

Best Time to view the Milky Way is July through to September.

Compatible DSR Cameras

Canon EOS DSLR

Canon Mirrorless with an adapter to fit an EF Lens

Nikon D DSLR

Pentax K DSLR

Sony alpha E mount (ensure it can take a photo with the lens not attached before booking)

For other cameras we cannot guarantee our camera adapters will be compatible, but bring the camera along and we can try.

You will need to bring a remote shutter release to get the best photos. We have some that fit some camera models.

You will also need to know how your camera operates and in particular change settings such as

ISO sensitivity

Manual Setting

Exposure time

Mirror lock

Bulb Setting

Live view

enabling the remote shutter release for Nikon cameras.

Ensure I can take a photo without the lens attached.

more

Bookings

Premium Tour

Prices

Session Dates and Times

Objects
Exclusive Session 8:30pm session in August 2021

Best time to view planets.

Enquiries: 0488 425 940
Email: peter@dubboobservatory.com