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Night Sky & Telescope Viewing



Astronomy Presentation



Point out the stars & Constellations



View through our telescopes



Take a photo with your compatible DSLR camera



The Night Sky & Telescope show is the first session of the evening.
It is only for people 5 years of age and older. Children under 5 years of age are not permitted.
The session consists of

1: An Astronomy Presentation (usually outdoors under the stars)

2: Point out the Stars, Planets, and Constellations with a laser pointer.

3: Look through telescopes at the stars, planets, and galaxies. You may have to take 1 or 2 steps on a step ladder. If the sky is overcast and we cannot show you any object through the telescopes, we do an extended astronomy presentation indoors instead and issue a 50% refund at the end of the session.

4: Answer your astronomy questions.

5: Take one photo through the telescope with your Canon or Nikon DSLR camera. Alternatively bring your SD card that fits our Canon RA mirrorless camera. We sell SD cards in our gift shop if you don't have the right camera. We also sell photos of the objects we see.

Session lasts for a minimum of 60 minutes and may drift up to 75 minutes.

The session is outdoors.

Group size is a maximum of 50 people.

If you prefer a smaller group size, please consider the Premium Session which has a maximum of 6 people.

The best nights are the clear and moonless nights.

What objects we show depends on the time of year, time of night, what phase the Moon is, and where the Moon is in the sky.

There is a list of objects at the bottom of this page of what is in the sky for that session.
How many objects we show depends on the amount of cloud cover and how bright the moon is. The clearer the night the more objects we see. Galaxies and nebulae are usually not visible when the Moon is up. We show you as many objects as we can in that list in the time given.
Planets are not always around, sometimes there are a few, sometimes none, and this is different every year, so check that list at the bottom of the page.

To view through a telescope you need to be able to stand and sometimes take a step or two up a ladder. If you are confined to a wheelchair we can let you use a pair of binoculars, just ask at the desk on arrival.

The show is outdoors so you need to dress appropriate to the weather conditions. It is very cold in the Autumn and Winter months so you need to rug up and we recommend you wear a beanie and scarf as well. We can't use heaters around the telescopes as it blurs the image you see.

If you are bringing a DSLR Camera for a photo through the telescope On moonless nights we take a photo of a colourful nebula. If the Moon is visible, we take a photo of the Moon is taken instead as the moonlight adversely affects photographing nebulae. Planets dont photograph well with DSLR cameras.

If it is cloudy we may not be able to take a photo.
We use your camera body and attach an adapter. So you must be able to be able to remove the lens. We have adapters for Canon & Nikon DSLR cameras. Some other brands may work but can't guarantee. You must know how to change the settings on your camera. If you don't we may run out of time to take a photo.



Times and Dates






January: 9pm

closed on the 30th & 31st


February: 9pm

Closed on the 3rd, 4th, 5th due to the bright moon.


March: 1st to 15th is 8:45pm

March 16th to 31st is 8:30pm

Closed on the 10th to the 13th



Note that start times can vary on certain nights (long weekends & School holidays, or special objects to view). The actual time is on the ticketing site.


​We usually do not open on Full Moon Nights due to the bright sky that causes.​



Tickets





50 tickets are allocated for each session.


Tickets are purchased online from iwannaticket ticketing agency.

There is a link below


You can purchase any unsold tickets at the door 15 minutes before start time at $5 extra per ticket.


Children under 5 years of age are not permitted to attend sorry.


If you prefer a session with less people, consider the Premium Session that has a max group size of 6.


We strongly recommend you book on the day when you know what the weather is doing as we see more objects on a clear night compared to a cloudy night. In school hols and long weekends you may wish to book a day or two in advance as they can sell out.




Prices






ONLINE PRICES


Adults: $30


Child 5 to 16 yrs: $20


Children under 5 are not permitted.


Plus a non-refundable booking fee.


Surcharge applies on public holidays & Late Show.


-------------------------------------------------------

ANY UNSOLD TICKETS ARE SOLD AT THE DOOR.

School Holidays normally sell out.


AT THE DOOR PRICES

Adult: $35

Child 5 to 16 yrs: $25


Children under 5 are not permitted.


Surcharge applies on public holidays & Late Show



Cancellations, changes, refund policy






If you decide to cancel your session for any reason, a partial refund is given (entry fee - ticketing fee) if you give more than 7 days notice by emailing peter@dubboobservatory.com only. The ticketing fee is non-refundable.


We must receive the email with the 7 days notice.

Please do not email the ticketing agency as they only pass on the email to us a few days later which may then be less than 7 days notice.



If you cancel with less than 7 days notice a partial refund (minus the ticketing fee - $5 per ticket) is only given if we can resell your ticket. For example if you have purchased an adult ticket for $31.74 (includes a $1.74 booking fee), you would receive a refund of $25.



Tickets can't be moved to a different session. You have to cancel your booking and purchase a new ticket.

​



Overcast and rainy nights




If we can't show you any objects through the telescopes because of cloud, we just do our extended version of the presentation.

We give you a 50 percent refund of the entry price (excludes the booking fee). e.g. if you purchased a ticket for $31.74, a $15 refund is given.


We take your bank details at the end of the presentation and do a money transfer to your account.

If you purchased a ticket at the door, we do the refund back to your card or cash if you paid that way.


If you did not turn up, or left part way through, you are not entitled to a refund.

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If it is raining at start time or rain or threat of prevents us from setting up the telescopes, we cancel the session and issue a full refund.


A decision whether to proceed or not is made at the scheduled start time as often it can be cloudy during the day only to clear in the evening.


In some cases we may call it off earlier. In these cases we will have a notice on the homepage of our website listed under " Status of Tonight's Show"

A text message is sent to the mobile phone number provided by the person who purchased the tickets if the show is cancelled. Do not leave a landline number when you book.



BOOKINGS


Click here to purchase tickets

Lights and night Vision - please read,
very important!!!





To see the stars at there best with the naked eye or through a telescope, it is important not to look at any white lights. Some things you won't see without your night vision.
Your eyes take 10 minutes to adjust to the dark but as soon as you look at a white light its lost immediately and then there is no point viewing for another 10 minutes.
We use red lighting in the telescope area to avoid this but still allowing you to see around in the dark.
So please do not bring into the telescope area the following items1: Torches with a white light (red lights are fine)2: Camera flashes.3: Mobile phones. Keep them in your pocket or a bag. Do not take them out please as the screen comes on and affects everyones vision. If you need to check your phone please go back inside and use it there please.4: Shoes with flashing lights.
It is not just your eyes but affects everyone else who saw your white light.




Wheelchair access





There is wheelchair access to the main building, a disabled toilet, the theatrette, and to the outside viewing platform where the outside telescopes are.
There is no wheelchair access to the observatory where the main 17"telescope is.
There is wheelchair access to the presentation and pointing out the stars and planets in the night sky with the laser pointer at the outside viewing platform.
There is an issue with looking through telescopes for customers confined to a wheel chair unless they can stand up briefly. The reason is
The height above ground level of the eyepiece of the telescope varies depending on how high above the horizon the star to view is located, If the star is overhead the eyepiece is at its lowest point and is more accessible. If the star is lower in the sky the eyepiece is much higher.. So it depends on how high the disabled customers eye is up from the ground and would be too low to view most objects through a telescope.
An alternative would be to hire a pair of our binoculars for that part of the tour.




Objects Visible January 9pm





We plan to show you objects from the following list.

The number we see depends on how clear the sky is. If its perfectly clear we can show around 12 objects. If there is some cloud around it will be less, but we will do our best.


What we show will depend on the location of the Moon which can hinder the visibility of galaxies and nebulae. Partial cloud cover may put some objects out of view.


Darkest Nights 9th to 25th


Planets: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus


Comets: nil


Moon:

Visible in the night show: 1st - 8th, 25th - 31st

New Moon ....21st

First Qtr .........28th

Full Moon......7th


Nebulae: (moonless sessions only) Orion Nebula, Tarantula Nebula, Eta Carina Nebula


Globular Clusters: (moonless nights only) 47 Tucanae


Open Clusters: Pleiades, Southern Pleiades, Southern Beehive Cluster.


Binary Stars: Mesarthim, 145 CMa


Galaxies: (Moonless nights) Sculptor Galaxy


Planetary Nebulae: (Moonless Nights) Nil


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


Asterisms: Southern Cross, Diamond Cross, False Cross, Saucepan


Astrophotograph with your compatible DSLR camera: Orion Nebula. On bright Moon nights we image the Moon.



Objects visible Feb 9pm





We plan to show you approx 12 objects from the following list.

What we show will depend on the location of the Moon which can hinder the visibility of galaxies and nebulae. Partial cloud cover may put some objects out of view.


Darkest Nights 11th to the 26th.


Planets: Mars

Comets: nil


Moon:

New Moon ....20th

First Qtr .........27th

Full Moon......6th

Visible during the show 1st - 8th, 24th to 28th.


Nebulae: (moonless nights)

Orion Nebula, Tarantula Nebula, Eta Carina Nebula


Globular Clusters: (Moonless Nights) 47 Tucanae.


Open Clusters: Pleaides, Southern Pleiades. Southern Beehive, NGC 2362, Pincushion Cluster, Gem Cluster


Binary Stars: 145 CMa, Regor


Galaxies: (Moonless nights) Large and Small Magellanic Clouds


Planetary Nebulae: (Moonless Sessions) Ghost of Jupiter


Constellations: Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Crux


Asterisms: Saucepan, False Cross, Diamond Cross, Southern Cross


Astrophotograph with your compatible DSLR Camera. Orion Nebula on moonless nights, otherwise The Moon.



Best time to view the planets, Eclipses, and Transits





Mercury

2023 - Not visible in any session


Venus

2023 - June


Mars

2022 - December (closest on the 8th)

2023 - January - February


Jupiter:

2022 - Oct - Dec


Saturn:

2022 - Sept - Dec


Conjunctions:

2022

Dec 28th, 8pm Venus & Mercury in the low west.


2023

Jan 22nd, Venus & Saturn low in the west, 8:30pm

March 2nd, Venus & Jupiter low in the west 8pm.

June 28th, Mars & Venus low in the west after sunset


Lunar Eclipses

8th Nov 2022

14 Mar 2025

7 Sept 2025

3 Mar 2026

21 Dec 2028


Solar Eclipses

Partial Eclipse on Apr 20 2023 at 3:30pm to 4:20pm

Total Eclipse on 22 July 2028


Transit of Mercury

13 Nov 2032


Transit of Venus

10 Dec 2117



Dubbo Observatory






17L Camp Rd, Dubbo, NSW, 2830


Peter@dubboobservatory.com
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Enquiries: 0488 425 940

Email: peter@dubboobservatory.com