The Bathurst Observatory Research Facility has recently moved location. We are in the process of building the Meteorite Museum shed. The Meteorite Museum will provide a space to display our meteorite, public education and video conferences into schools.
Bathurst Observatory Research Facility, Australia, has one of the only public displays of meteorites in NSW west of Sydney in our Meteorite Museum. We have over 200 specimens to be displayed, ranging from witnessed falls to historical pieces. You will be able to come and see our display of space models, minerals, fossils and meteorites.
Approval for the stage 1 components of the project have been obtained from Bathurst Regional Council.
The funding goal is to reach $45,000 which will cover the cost of concrete slab, the cost of the shed and construction.
CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT OUR PROJECT
Plan of the Meteorite Museum shed.
Museum site pegged and ready to go.
The meteorite museum aligns with the observatory’s work on asteroid, comet and other astronomical research as well as public education and outreach.
We also study meteorites as part of our research goals, and have published a number of papers about meteorites.
We can also offer some services to meteorite collectors and researches wishing to display their specimens.
Some meteorites from the Bathurst Observatory collection
Some of our displays below.
General space image from our observatory
ABOUT US
The Observatory is currently privately owned and had operated at its old site on Limekilns Road, Bathurst since July 2000. In 2018, it was decided that the observatory should relocate to a much better site due to housing and other development at our previous site. Light pollution from developments would have rendered the old site impractical for further astronomy. As such, the old site has been sold and we have purchased a new site, further from Bathurst (at Billywillinga), which has much better observing sites, not only for tourism, but for research and professional/amateur astronomers as well. We aim to provide multiple viewing experiences rather than one off options, to encourage multiple visitation.
The observatory is only one of its type in the region and will offer experiences and tour options no similar facility will offer. Its location and night activities will ensure overnight stays within the region or at our guest cottage.
TIME FRAME
The new observatory still in the construction and planning stage though will operate from late 2019, early 2020. A key goal is planning and ensuring the new site is developed to meet identified needs. This will ensure its adaptability now and into the future. However, current Bathurst Observatory telescopes are now being relocated to the new site, as well as the meteorite research collection and much more!
Some key aspects of the initial timeline;
* Relocation of the public outreach and imaging telescope with the observatory’s iconic dome.
* Set up of the public viewing telescopes and area.
* Construction of the meteorite research building (with displays)
* Availability of sites for setting up your own equipment
* Opening of the guest accommodation and planetarium in stage 2
The Bathurst Observatory’s iconic dome, soon to relocate to the new site. It houses our research and imaging telescope
Future stage 2 items for inclusion will be approval additional cabins and telescope sites as demand increases.
Note the planetarium is a fully modern computerised system and has an advantage in that it is portable and can be taken to schools, community events, as well as serve at the observatory site. It does not require an additional building, though provides an all-weather option for tours.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For more information about Bathurst Observatory Research Facility please visit our website at: https://bathurstobservatory.com.au/
and our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/BathurstObservatory/
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!
Kathleen Moore
Georgie
Pat Drury
Brooke Coolidge
From Molong wit Nikon 5600 -55-300 lens.
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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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So what are the REAL prospects for comet 12/P Pons Brooks? Not great really. The comet reaches closest to the sun 22nd April when it is still not very favourable for southern hemisphere. Some observers with telescopes or binoculars, are just able to see at now (mid April) just above and left of Jupiter, but are also reporting it as difficult to see (I found it hard to image). There is media hype around the 22nd April (perihelion date) as the best to see it, but this is just media confusion re closest to the sun date and besides the full moon will also make it hard to see.
It is moving higher in twilight and further due west as we enter late April (after full moon) and through May, but due to Earth/comet geometry, it will be fading from about mag 5.5 to magnitude 6.5 (or fainter) during this time. So definitely not a comet you can see with just your eyes!! You will need binoculars or better yet a telescope to observe it. DSLR cameras should also pick it up with say 10-20s exposures and a 50-100mm lens.
It will be too low for the large observatory telescope in the west during early May, but I'm hoping for images late May into June. I think though it may be a nice photographic object at this time and likely will set up a different telescope for this purpose myself (In fact I posted an image on the 18th). It will continue to fade through June from mag 7.1 early June to 8.4 by the time the moon no longer interferes towards the end of the month. However, being higher in the western sky during late June, should still be a nice photographic object, particularly in wide field telescopes.
The finder charts are for the 10th of May at 6:30pm and 27th of May at 6:30pm, both dates when the moon is not present and during its "best" viewing dates. ... See MoreSee Less
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You can try now but you need a good unobstructed horizon in twilight. Best in a dark sky from 27th onwards.
That's a good summary Ray...thanks
Good luck, hopefully you will get some good photos. Here at Cudal I have got 3 photos (out of town) - 12th, 14th and 16th so far but adding to all of the other things making it hard to photograph, we have smoke from burning off and all the reduction burns going on at the moment 😷😷😷😷😩 The media haven't a clue 😵💫 Some saying you can see it just before Sunrise 🙄 My research (Stellarium) is saying around 4th May for us in Cudal, the Moon won't be up and 12p still at Mag 4.71 , hopefully the weather will be good with no smoke !!!!! 🤞 The 27th April isn't too bad either but the Moon rises at 7.30pm that night at 88% .
so have a crack at it between 10th and 20th may? I have a 500mm lens
In a real imaging challenge, I was just able to capture comet Pons Brooks in evening twilight on the 18th of April. It couldn't actually see it even with the portable telescope I was using, but was able to record it in an image in a ten second exposure. ... See MoreSee Less
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Very well done Ray. I hope the prospects are better for May.
Excellent
Wendy Mied!!
Photoshopped
16th April, and I snapped some Moon images just before the public tour! ... See MoreSee Less
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Grace Fagnano
Excitement is now building for the 22nd of July 2028 total solar eclipse that will occur over parts of Australia. Bathurst Observatory IS under the total eclipse path. Although this is still a few years away, we have began our planning. One thing we will need to know is how many people we may expect. We are currently planning a few sites around Bathurst that can host a gathering of people but that will depend on numbers. At present we are seeking expression of interest of those who would be seeking sites. Note this is NOT a booking, but just a plan. In addition to sending an EOI, indicate your level of experience (total novice, amateur or professional), how far you would be coming from and what sort of things you might be seeking at a dedicated site. Please remember this is NOT a booking. Please just use the message button and we will collate the data! ... See MoreSee Less
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Orion is getting low in the west this time of year. This is Orion taken with just a camera with a 35mm lens. You can see a few nebula and star clusters!
Tours for school holidays are the 15th until the 18th, sorry there aren't more available, but I have a few things on myself. There is also a tour on the 4th of May.
There is a bit of interest in comet Pons Brooks as well. It "may" be just visible late in April for us in Southern Hemisphere, but it will be low in the west in some twilight at this time. I will detail more in a couple of weeks. ... See MoreSee Less
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Hello there! My friend and I are thinking of making a trip to bathrust between 16-18th april. We were wondering if we can come along for the stargazing tour! If so, what are the procedures we need to take on for bookings?
Do you think you'll be able to get n image of the Devil Comet soon?
Robert Henry Hansen