Premium Tour



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.


The tour lasts for 100 minutes.


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. Or purchase a SD card from our gift shop.


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 outdoors so please wear appropriate clothing to suit the weather conditions.


The session is held after the final Night Sky & Telescope Viewing session.





Prices





Premium Session



$99 per person

plus a non-refundable ticketing fee.


Tickets


Tickets are available online only.


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


Cancellation by the customer.

If the customer cancels, a refund is only given if we can resell your ticket. The ticketing/ credit card fee is non-refundable as we cant claim that back.


For tickets purchased with a gift card or credit note or moved from another night, a new credit note is issued for you to use at another future session of the same value, but only if we can resell your ticket.


To cancel, please email peter@dubboobservatory.com with your request. Do not contact iwannaticket ticketing agency as they can only respond on the next business day or later and say to contact the observatory.


Changing to Another Session


If you wish to change sessions, you have to cancel your original session, and purchase a new ticket for the other session, We can only refund the original session if we can resell your ticket.


If you have used a gift card or a credit note, we can issue a new credit note for you to use at a future session if we can resell your original ticket.


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.

(For December shows: if you attended at 8:30pm to view the planets Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, and the 10:30pm show is later cancelled, no refund is given, but a credit note is issued to purchase at ticket for a future date.


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 excluding the booking fee is given unless the ticket was purchased with a gift card or credit note, where another credit note number is issued.



Session Dates and Times





The Premium Session runs most nights.


The session is not available on or near full moon as galaxies and nebulae cant be seen as the sky is too bright. The photos do not work well on bright nights.


We usually don't run this session in school holidays. The nights they do are at a time much later than normal.


Times may vary but are confirmed when booking.​


October

Not available 1st & 2nd

3rd, 4th: 11:30pm

Not available 3rd - 13th due to the bright Moon.

14th - 15th: 11:15pm

16th - 20th: 10pm

Not available 21st to 23rd

24th - 31st: 10pm


November: 10:30pm


December:

1st - 15th: 10:30pm

Not Available 16th - 31st​​​



Objects
Exclusive session in october 10pm






Darkest Skies: 11th to 29th


Planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune.


Moon* Visible during show 1st - 10th, 30th, 31st.

New Moon 25th

First quarter 3rd

Full Moon 9th


Nebulae (Moonless Nights only)

Lagoon Nebula, Swan Nebula, Tarantula Nebula


Open Star Clusters

Butterfly, Ptolemy's, NGC 6231, Wild Duck Cluster.


Globular Clusters (Moonless Sessions)

47 Tucanae.


Galaxies: (Moonless nights only): Large & Small Magellanic Clouds, Silvercoin.


Planetary Nebulae (Moonless Nights Only): nil


Multiple Star Systems

Gamma Delphinus.


Comets (Moonless Nights Only) Comet K2 Panstarrs


Constellations: Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Picses, Aries, Delphinus, Cygnus, Grus. Corona Australis, Pegasus.


Asterisms: Diamond Cross, Sickle, Teapot, Southern Crown, Circlet, Square of Pegasus


Photography: We can take 4 photographs with your Canon, Nikon, DSLR camera on moonless nights. Trifid Nebula, Swan Nebula, Lagoon Nebula, Omega Centaurus. When the Moon is visible we photograph the Moon, 47 Tucanae, Ptolemy's Cluster, Butterfly Cluster.



objects Exclusive session in october 11:30pm





Darkest Skies 11th to 29th.


Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.


Moon

Visible 1st to the to 10th

New Moon: 25th

First Quarter 3rd

Full Moon 9th


Multiple Star Systems: Mesarthim, Gamma Delphini


Open Star Clusters: Pleiades


Globular Clusters, Moonless Nights: 47 Tucanae


Emission Nebula (moonless nights): Tarantula Nebula


Planetary Nebulae (moonless nights): nil


Galaxies (moonless nights): Silvercoin galaxy


Comets (moonless nights): nil


Meteor Showers (moonless nights):


Constellations: Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Corona Australis, , Pegasus, Triangulum.


Aboriginal Constellations:


Asterisms: Saucepan, Square of Pegasus


Photography: If you bring a compatible DSLR camera, we take 4 images for you.

Moonless nights - Tarantula Nebula, 47 Tucanae, Silvercoin Galaxy, Orion Nebula

Nights with the Moon visible - Moon.



Objects
Exclusive session in November 10:30pm






Darkest Skies: 13th to 26th


Planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, (Mars last week of the month).


Moon* Visible during show 1st - 12th, 27th - 30th

New Moon 24th

First quarter 1st

Full Moon 8th

Lunar Eclipse 8th


Nebulae (Moonless Nights only)

Orion Nebula, Tarantula Nebula


Open Star Clusters

Pleiades, NGC 2516, Southern Pleiades, NGC 2362


Globular Clusters (Moonless Sessions)

47 Tucanae.


Galaxies: (Moonless nights only): Large & Small Magellanic Clouds, Silvercoin Galaxy Great Barred Spiral


Planetary Nebulae (Moonless Nights Only): nil


Multiple Star Systems

Mesarthim


Comets (Moonless Nights Only) nil


Constellations: Aquarius, Picses, Aries, Taurus, Pegasus, Orion, Canis Major,


Asterisms: Diamond Cross, False Cross, Circlet, Square of Pegasus, Saucepan


Photography: We can take 4 photographs with your Canon, Nikon, DSLR camera on moonless nights.

Orion Nebula, 47 Tucanae, Tarantula Nebula, Silvercoin Galaxy.


When the Moon is visible we photograph the Moon, 47 Tucanae, Orion Nebula, Pleaides.



objects Exclusive session in December 10:30pm





Darkest Skies 11th to 27th.


Planets: Mars, Jupiter, (Saturn in first week), Uranus, Neptune.


Moon

Visible 1st to the to 10th, 28th - 31st

New Moon: 23rd

First Quarter 30th

Full Moon 8th


Multiple Star Systems: Mesarthim, Gamma Delphini


Open Star Clusters: Pleiades


Globular Clusters, Moonless Nights: 47 Tucanae


Emission Nebula (moonless nights): Tarantula Nebula, Orion Nebula, Eta Carina Nebula


Planetary Nebulae (moonless nights): nil


Galaxies (moonless nights): Silvercoin galaxy, Great Barred Spiral, Andromeda


Comets (moonless nights): nil


Meteor Showers (moonless nights):


Constellations: Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor


Aboriginal Constellations:


Asterisms: Hook, Southern Cross, Teapot, False Cross, Diamond Cross.


Photography: If you bring a compatible DSLR camera, we take 4 images for you.

Moonless nights - Tarantula Nebula, 47 Tucanae, Silvercoin Galaxy, Orion Nebula.

Nights with the Moon visible - Moon, Pleiades



Objects
Exclusive Session 9:30pm session in april 2022






Darkest Skies: 24th to 30th


Planets: nil


Moon* Visible during show - 9th to 23rd

New Moon 1st

First quarter 9th

Full Moon 16th


Nebulae (moonless session only)

Eta Carina Nebula, Tarantula Nebula


Open Star Clusters

Pincushion Cluster, Gem Cluster, Southern Beehive Cluster, Butterfly Cluster, Ptolemy's Cluster, NGC 6231, NGC 3114, Beehive.


Globular Clusters: (Moonless Nights)

Omega Centauri, M4


Galaxies: (Moonless session only)

Magellanic Clouds, Sombrero Galaxy, Leo Triplet, Centaurus A


Planetary Nebulae (Moonless sessions):

Ghost of Jupiter, Blue Planetary Nebula,


Multiple Star Systems

Alpha Cen, Alpha Cru, Gamma Vel, 145 CMa


Comets (Moonless Nights Only) nil


Constellations Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Crux, Hydra, Corvus, Centaurus


Asterisms Diamond Cross, Southern Cross, False Cross, The Sickle., Hook


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

47 Tucanae,, Eta carina Nebula, Sombrero Galaxy, Omega Centauri

on moonless nights. On bright Moon nights, we photograph the Moon and bright star clusters.



Best time to view planets.





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: Late Nov 2022 to Jan 2023

Jupiter Sep 2022 - Nov 2022

Saturn July 2022 - Nov 2022

Uranus Dec 2022- Jan 2022

Neptune Sept 2022 - Dec 2022


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.


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Enquiries: 0488 425 940

Email: peter@dubboobservatory.com