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

Tuesday to Sunday Nights
 
 Night Viewings:
7.00pm - 10.00pm 
 
Daylight Savings
8pm - 11pm
 
Prices:
Adults $15
Children $7.50 
(must be accompanied by an Adult)
 
Observations during the month of December:

The Moon 
Venus
Jupiter
Orions Belt
Tuc 47
Pleiades
Tarantula Nebula

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