AUSTRALIAN ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY - SIDING SPRING

The Observatory is located not far from the town of Coonabarabran. This grouping of several large telescopes and observatories is well known to long-time astronomy enthusiasts. It had its moment of glory in the 1980's when its powerful Anglo-Australian telescope of 3.9 m diameter provided spectacular images of distant nebulae and galaxies, under the leadership of an extraordinary astrophotographer and self-taught astronomer: David Malin! It is a division of the Ministry of Industry, Innovation and Science that operates the Anglo-Australian and British Schmidt telescopes. In fact, the observatory is funded by the Australian government. The Anglo-Australian telescope was created on proposals made to the Australian and British governments in the mid-1960s by the Australian Academy of Science. It was decided in April 1967 to build a large optical telescope similar in design to the 3.8 m telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in the United States. The site selected for the telescope was Siding Spring Mountain, near the town of Coonabarabran, where the Australian National University had already operated an observatory since 1965.

In the mid-2000s, the British government indicated its intention to withdraw from the bilateral agreement, and in mid-2010, the Australian Astronomical Observatory was established as a wholly Australian-owned institution.

When you dream since you were young to see this observatory and it finally becomes a reality, it is only happiness. On the spot, several areas are interesting to discover... First of all, the Dome Café where you can have a drink or lunch while browsing through the large choice of souvenirs and gifts available. Then the Exploratory houses an informative and educational astronomy exhibit with hands-on activities and multimedia presentations for the whole family. Then it's time to check out the iconic Anglo-Australian Telescope (Australia's largest optical telescope). Its weight and size are impressive with its primary mirror measuring 3.9 meters in diameter and weighing some 16 tons! An observation gallery allows to see the telescope in detail and to know its main characteristics. Finally, the cherry on the cake, a nice viewpoint allows to have a spectacular view on the Warrumbungle National Park!