Gilgandra Observatory
* Unfortunately Closed until further notice *
Tuesday to Sunday Nights
68470776
The Observatory has
operated since 1975. It was built by a retired farmer, Jack Estens.
Located in the centre of Gilgandra just off the Newell Highway, our central
location provides good access from motels and still provides us with excellent
views of the night sky.
Construction started
in 1974 by a retired farmer Mr Jack Estens. Jack had no formal training in
astronomy but had been a keen amateur since Pluto's discovery in
1930!
He built his own 8" Newtonian Reflector, grinding the mirrors and making the rest from old bits and pieces from his farm!!
The
Observatory is surrounded by a lovely garden. There are over 80 roses in the
garden of a variety of colours and scents. From Spring until Autumn, the roses
provide a colourful welcome to visitors of the
Observatory.
Our main telescope is a 31 cm Newtonian Reflector . We use a variety
of lenses and filters to get the best out of the telescope. The scope itself is
a Cave from California, USA. It was built
around 1973, mounted on an Equatorial Mount with a tracking
device.
We don't have a
computer hooked up because the general public like to see us find the objects
ourselves!
Opening Hours:
Weather Permitting
Night Viewings
Bookings Advisable
Warm clothing advised during Winter months
Around the Observatory there are a variety of sun dials, petrified woods, fossil and rock displays. Inside there are more of these as well as Wild Flowers, Photographic Plates, Corals, Posters, Gems, Telescopes and holograms !
The
Fluorescent display has samples from all over the world. There are two
Photographic Plates from The
Palomar Observatory, this is the only private observatory in Australia to
have any!
The Observatory has a sister Observatory in Denmark. A group of visiting astronomers several years ago where so impressed they built one the same as this!
We are opposite Three Ways Motel for easy convenient Accomodation
For more info
Contact
68470776
info@gilobs.com.au