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/
Some of the new camera gear has arrived!!! Just waiting on a connector and then will put it through its paces. Although I have cut back on tours (so I can image and do research) I will still be offering some tours, though likely a bit more randomly than before. That said, I should be able to squeeze in a couple in school holidays.... Watch this space. ... See MoreSee Less
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Always loved your sense of humour.... "Watch this space"... then I clicked to type a comment and Facebook added to your pun... "This space is yours". 😁 Can't wait to see more of your research and photography with your new gear!
Unfortunately due to personal reasons and much discussion with my friends and family, I've had to make to decision to ease back on tours for perhaps the rest of the year. I will still be offering some special nights, but the regular weekends I will be having to allocate for catching up with a few observatory projects of my own. I will also be investing in some new equipment for the observatory to hopefully improve the images I take. For example.. Wait and see what the new equipment will do with the galaxy NGC 5128 I took recently with the old! But please stay following me as there will be more frequent images posted and stay tuned for special nights, particularly if you are an astronomy buff! Plus I'll keep you posted with what you can see in the sky! ... See MoreSee Less
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Niall you just take as much time as you like… looking forward to seeing the photos your new equipment will produce.
I’m super keen to bring my kiddos along. We found your page last night so will keep an eye out for the next update!
My son is super Keen to visit so I’ll be watching for special. Can you confirm the next closest to us is Mudgee??
Beautiful
Wow didnt know you did tours. I will have to keep watch. Anthony Robinson
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The comet R3 Panstarrs, isn't as bright as a few nights ago, and you still need binoculars to see it, but it was nicely place next to the Orion Nebula (M42) on the evening of the 10th May. ... See MoreSee Less
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West just after sunset.
Bathurst Observatory Research Facility my Son was driving me home tonight on Turondale Rd and unfortunately I was looking the other way. From his right hand side somewhere over Peel as we approached Winburndale Rivulet he yelled Mum as he saw what he described as a bright spark in the sky. Are you aware of what it could have been? Any other sightings? Possibly around 6.30ish!
What time and direction is Orion please?
My first larger telescope image of comet R3 Panstarrs on the evening of the 5th of May. I should be able to get better as it gets higher in the sky. ... See MoreSee Less
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Its great. Did you have to delete heaps of satellites? I can't believe how many are in my stack of photos. I've still got to go through them to see if I got 2025 R3 comet.
What time was this taken
Beautiful!
Great capture, better than mine with camera and 24 - 105mm lens (30 photos stacked)
Breathtaking
Stunning!
Did you get any photos last night (6th) i went out about 7.15 and got 30 raw shots and stacked them to get this photo. I'm hoping it was weather situation in the west causing seeing problems but the tail was very short last night from intown Cudal.
Excellent
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I had my first view of comet R3 Panstarrs in evening twilight on the 3rd of May. With all the cloud about, I hadn't expected to see it at all! But with a gap in cloud, I grabbed the camera and 50mm lens for a quick snap. Nice long tail! Can't wait to get the telescope on this one!. It will be slowly getting higher in the western evening skies over the coming weeks. ... See MoreSee Less
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Awesome
Great shot. Hopefully i will get some photos myself soon. 🙂
Thank you to all the people understanding that we were closed for private remembrance over the Anzac weekend in memory of a relative who died in war. I did take some time on my own in reflection in the observatory and took a quick image of the Moon. ... See MoreSee Less
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I think a few people know that I have not be well for a while and hence I have not been in the observatory itself. However, on the evening of the 18th April, I bravely set up for imaging on the big scope again. A couple of easy targets to test out again. The nebula Eta Carina and the spiral galaxy M83 ... See MoreSee Less
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Take it easy and recover, life can throw things at you sometimes. I know the feeling.
Hope you have a speedy recovery to get back gazing at the incredible night sky above again…
Hope you continue to improve health wise…. Always good to see your posts.
Wow!! And those images were worth the wait. Just incredible.
Beautiful and I hope you are feeling better.
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Some auroral activity occurred on the evening of the 22nd March. It was a bit of surprise I admit. It very briefly flared from a red glow to a few brighter rays. ... See MoreSee Less
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Are you doing any imaging of Comet C/2025 R3?
I missed any rays but got the red glow in Blayney
Bathurst Observatory Research Facility any open nights coming up??
Bummer, I missed it 🫤 Great photos.
🤞 tonight 🙂
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After a battle with back issues last year and then this year a fair bit of cloud, I actually got a chance to try doing some imaging again. Not through the telescope, but camera on a tracking mount. This was more to refresh my skills. The target was the Large Magellanic Galaxy. This magnificent companion to our own Milky Way galaxy, is nicely placed high in the southern sky in evenings this time of the year. ... See MoreSee Less
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I've been looking the same place as well, when it's not cloudy.. I was never able to see R136 from Sydney home as clear as I can up here in Bathurst,,,, it's awesome.......