This Observatory, situated at Mount Pleasant in Ballarat, was established on the initiative and with the financial support of James Oddie, and was formally opened to the public in 1886. When Oddie presented the Observatory to the people of Ballarat, it became the first municipal observatory in Australia.
There is a film event being hosted at the Observatory on Sunday 24th July at 3pm. Details here. It is being presented by Yarrowee Productions.
Annual General Meeting 12th August.
The second of two presentations by Tony Dyson, given as part of the International Year of Chemistry (IYC 2011), has been postponed to a date to be fixed in 2012. There will be a representation of Atoms, Elements and Molecules and the history of the atomic theory of matter on 12th August 8.00pm. This presentation will be part of Science Week. Details here.
August 20th - September 18th - Ballarat Foto Biennale - Fringe Event at the Observatory Details here
Visit the Free Range Science website for information about coming events near you.
A Fact Sheet for the first total solar eclipse on the Australian mainland since 2002 has been produced by Astronomical Society of Australia. It will occur on 14 November 2012. (pdf reader required.)
There are items for sale at the Observatory including books, calenders, mugs, planispheres. The 2011 yearbook is now available.
We have the perfect gift for that special someone you know that is interested in Astronomy. Our Calendars and Yearbooks will provide year long interest with user friendly information about the movement of the celestial bodies.
You might like to give a Gift of a BAS Membership, which provides free entry to the Observatory and a discount for sale items and on special events, members can also be trained to use the telescopes.
Just fill out the Membership Form and send with payment or use direct deposit. along with a covering email and we can send it out with a special letter telling the recipient about your gift or send it to you so that you can personally give it to the recipient.
The banner at the top of this page is from a sketch by John Brittain when he was Superintendent of the Observatory, and shows its appearance in about 1922.
