Bathurst Observatory Research Facility in Bathurst, New South Wales | Education

Bathurst Observatory Research Facility

Locality: Bathurst, New South Wales

Address: 6 Priors Lane, Billywillinga 2795 Bathurst, NSW, Australia

Website: https://bathurstobservatory.com.au

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• Education
• Arts and entertainment
• Landmark & historical place
• Museum
• Science museum

25.01.2022 The Eagle Nebula (M16) I imaged last week! A place where young stars are being formed from hydrogen gas and dust within the Milky Way. The hydrogen gas emits a pinkish glow!

23.01.2022 My first image of Mars for this season and Nebula NGC 6334. Imaging conditions were not great for planets, though a little detail, such as a polar cap and surface markings can been seen on Mars. The nebula (NGC 6334) is also known as the Cat's Paw! I am pretty heavily booked out at present and over the school holidays. I will announce the available dates for after the school holidays very soon!!!!

21.01.2022 My first rough image of Jupiter from the new site (before the cloud came over!). 26th June. Both Jupiter and Saturn will be at their best during July/August this year. For those wanting a tour, I am booked out during the holidays, though waiting to hear if distancing measures will be relaxed so I can increase how many people I can take on tours and then offer more places.

20.01.2022 A clear night, so I took advantage of having the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn in the sky! 26th of August. I will post availability for September tours very soon. I will offer small groups inside the observatory for up to 5 or outside (same size telescope as in the observatory) for up to ten people. As I say, details soon!

19.01.2022 Comet Neowise on the 30th July. This image is affected by moonlight creating a bright background. The comet continues to fade as it moves away from both Earth and the sun. By the end of next week, you will need a good telescope to find it. It is also interesting that this was taken with my cheapest telescope!! The telescope is an 80mm diameter, 400mm focal length scope designed for guiding. However, I gave it a run for imaging tonight.

19.01.2022 Nebula M21, know as the Trifid Nebula . It has to be one of the most colourful contrasts in our region of the galaxy. The blue is starlight being reflected on the hydrogen gas and dust, while the pink is light being emitted by glowing gas. Mixed in with both are thicker and darker lanes of gas and dust.

19.01.2022 Star forming region known as M17 (The Swan Nebula). Hydrogen gas appears pink due to nearby young stars causing it to glow. One of my favourite objects in the sky! As people may be aware, I have been very restricted as to the numbers I have been able to take on tours. However, a solution might be to continue with the tours but do them outside of the observatory dome, in the open, using one of our other telescopes. This telescope would be the same size, same views as the one inside the observatory, however being outside, enables me to double the numbers I can take per tour. With the planets at their best over the next couple of months, this could be a good option. Thoughts?

19.01.2022 The tourists on the 14th were treated to some fantastic views of the planets under still skies. Mars in particular is interesting. A dust storm has started and filling the Vallis with dust. (note the brighter area and line in the middle). The little ice cap is also well seen. Jupiter and Saturn also display some nice detail.

19.01.2022 While out imaging planets on the 29th of June, I also captured a few of the moon. The third image includes the large fault line known as the straight wall. I am still taking a waiting list for those hoping for a tour over the school holidays. At present I am booked out, but if I am allowed to increase numbers if distancing measures change, I will take more people!

18.01.2022 Comet Neowise on the evening of the 5th August. The straight tail is the ion (gas) tail, while the broad fan like tail is the dust (small rocky particles) tail. This image was taken just after dark (and before the moon rose). There has been such a demand for tours that I will check my schedule over the next few days and see if I can offer a few more tour time options. Covid has reduced the number of people I can take, but opening more tour times might allow more people to be able to visit.

18.01.2022 There was a good pass over eastern NSW of the International Space Station around 6:20 on the evening of the 8th of September. I used one of the observatory telescopes to capture these close up images!

18.01.2022 Sometimes, all you need to take images of the Milky Way is DSLR camera and a tripod. These images were taken on the 6th of September from the observatory. I will be planning the October tours very soon!!!

17.01.2022 A single 6s image of comet Neowise in the NW after sunset on the 29th of July. This image was just with a DSLR camera at iso2500 and 50mm lens. The blue sky is due to moonlight!

17.01.2022 Remember my zoom chats? They are making a comeback!!!!! I plan to offer one as early as next week. The first will be more a forum for those just starting out in astronomy!!! More details and meeting link very soon.! In the meantime... I had a clear night on the 3rd and thought I would again capture Mars and Jupiter. The atmosphere was very turbulent, and hence the images are a little 'fuzzy', but still nice to be in the observatory!

17.01.2022 I piggybacked the camera on the side of the telescope for this image of the Large Magellanic Galaxy. It was imaged on Monday night in preparation for a talk I gave this week. Plus..... It is on again!!! A chat about astronomy, aimed at beginners, will occur on the 18th of November at 7:30pm. Details below Topic: Astronomy Chat... Time: Nov 18, 2020 07:30 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73255622377 Meeting ID: 732 5562 2377 Passcode: M1P9Yx

16.01.2022 As we have been booked out for our normal tours over the school holidays, I decided to add some special tours over the long weekend (Friday to Monday). These will be shorter tours where we will look at the planets in the sky at present (Saturn, Jupiter and Mars!). These tours will be 1/2 hour duration and be available for bookings only (so get in early). Tours will start at 8:45pm prior to daylight savings and 9:30pm after daylight savings starts. and are of course weather dependent. Either email or message for bookings, places due to Covid are very limited!

16.01.2022 Recent wet weather has made it hard to do both tours and imaging. However, I was able to image nebula M27 a week or so ago. M27 is an example of a dying star. This star is blowing away its outer layers in a giant gas bubble! The colours are due to gasses such as oxygen and hydrogen. I still have a couple of November tour places left! message for info.

15.01.2022 I thought I would post an update of how our construction is progressing. We have had a lot of help from Mick at Piper Electrical to install power to the observatory and site. A huge thank you!!! (Give them a call for any local electrical work!!) In the pictures, you can see the observatory is completed, the outdoor viewing area is also pretty much done. The outdoor slab is now available for anyone wishing to book it and bring their own equipment to use (for example those from... Sydney looking for an imaging site!). The museum is getting power installed and will soon have the internal walls completed ready for opening! Still a bit to go and a bit more funding to find, but hopeful I can get it done by the Christmas school holidays. Of note, you may spot the 50 year old telescope sitting upright on the floor of the museum. I am hoping to raise $500 to restore this telescope. The old stable will one day host a covered BBQ area.

14.01.2022 Side on Spiral galaxy NGC 4565!!!! Low in the north for us in Australia. Imaged with the research telescope. I have had a look at available dates (assuming no lockdowns) for August and it looks like I have the following still free..... 7th and 8th 14th... and now only 22nd left They fill up fast and I assume some of these will go within minutes of me posting!!! Send an email or message if interested. Tours this time of year are 7:30, however, if there is a huge demand for a certain night, I will add another later tour.

12.01.2022 I was imaging Jupiter and Saturn on the evening of the 6th of the July. Jupiter in particular shows a few interesting features. The Great Red spot can be seen, as well as the moon Ganymede to the right, Io furthest moon to the left and the moon Europa. Europa is also casting its shadow on the planet! Saturn is always spectacular. Though we are pretty much booked up for the school holidays, I will announce the tour dates for late July/August very soon. Our museum is getting closer as well to completion. Looking forward to fully opening soon!

11.01.2022 Mars is still looking good, though now Earth and Mars are drawing away from each other. I should have the November tours organised this weekend and will post available dates. Again, I hope I can offer some shorter planet viewing tours as well mid week. This image of Mars was taken on the 14th October.

11.01.2022 At last! I've been able to schedule our next available tours! Due to daylight savings and later sunsets, tours for these dates are at 8:45pm. I am hoping restrictions are looking like they are easing and that I may be able to offer more places on tours very soon. The available dates are: 16th and 17th October and 23rd and 24th October.... Hurry as the last tours filled within a day! November dates released very soon. In the meantime, the special planet only viewing tours proved very popular and I might open a few more of these shorter tours if anyone want to be on a waiting list. These views of the planets Mars Jupiter and Saturn were taken on the night of the 2nd Of October (just after the tour!)

10.01.2022 I've been out imaging Saturn and Jupiter again! I imaged Jupiter over an hour and will make a bit of a movie showing the rotation of the planet and post it in a few days. There are a few other bits of news as well! Firstly, I have commenced an initial chat group for a local astronomy club! Here is a link..... https://www.facebook.com/groups/bathurstastro Also for those wishing to come and stay nearby, we have teamed up with a guest house less than 1km from the observatory!!!...! It means that if you are an astronomer wishing to use our site for imaging or observing and want to bring your own equipment for example, you will be able to book the guest house and a place at the observatory! Lastly, we are watching the Covid situation and though we have already restricted bookings, hoping that we do not have cancel or change bookings. It will be something we will be monitoring.

10.01.2022 Latest image of comet Neowise from the 13th of August. The comet continues to fade as it moves further from Earth and the Sun. Note it still displays a straight ion tail and broad dust tail. Rain forecast in the next few days will hamper my attempts of further images.

10.01.2022 It was a very still night on the 31st of July. This allowed some really nice views of the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn.

10.01.2022 We had a lovely tour night on the 28th August (I hope my guests liked their evening!) Things have been booking fast and all I have now are .... and the 7th, 8th and 10th of October at 8:45pm (AEDST)... Remember there are two tour options. There is inside the observatory with a limit of 5 people or our outside option (using the same size telescope as inside the observatory) for up to 10 people. (All tours subject to covid)

05.01.2022 I was able to image both Saturn and Jupiter on the 29th June! (I also imaged the moon, but haven't processed those images as yet!)

03.01.2022 Though the Moon will be brightening and the comet fading rapidly, comet Neowise will be in Coma from this week low in the north western sky after sunset. It will become more visible each night as it gains altitude across the southern skies. The finder chart below is for about the 30th. Leo is to the left and Bootes to the right (Coma just above the comet). The comet is now reported at mag 4.5, so you would need a dark sky to see it visually and by weeks end maybe mag 5, at which point it becomes mainly an object requiring optical aid. Remember too the moon is increasing brightness so it may make the comet a more difficult object. I will be posting more information and updates on the Australian Comet and Asteroid Group page during the week.

02.01.2022 Time to schedule November tour dates (with the accompanying picture of the Helix nebula recently imaged). Bookings required for all tours and tours for November dates will be at 8:45 pm. Message or email for a booking. Still no set tour price, just pay whatever you think is fair. Tour dates for November are;... 6th and 7th 13th and 14th 20th and 21st. Note that places fill very quickly due to my current limitations on numbers. I may also offer on short notice, some special half hour mid week planet only viewing tours as well. Feel free to register an interest in these and I will see my availability.

01.01.2022 The planet Mars, imaged around 11:30pm on the 10th of October. It is a wonderful time of year to view Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. As the planet only short tours proved so popular, I will be checking my schedule this week and may offer some mid week tours (at short notice so watch this space!).

01.01.2022 For the first time at the new site, I have imaged the sun on the 7th of Nov using our solar telescope equipment. The sun is coming out of solar minimum and today has a very large and complex sunspot group. These complex magnetic systems can erupt with solar flares. I still have to schedule our zoom chat and will post the details soon. I will also have a very exciting announcement coming as well!!!!!