Port Neptune

Using south dome telescope

On the 25th of September 2009, Lindsay, Grant, Jackson, and I went to the Sydney observatory. This was a patrol activity for scouts and part of the astronomy badge.

We all met at the observatory and went inside. While we waited for the tour we looked around and saw a telescope.

When the tour started the first place we went to was the 1874 large refracting lens telescope which is the oldest working telescope in Australia. We looked at the moon.

After the 1874 telescope we looked in a room which had lots stuff to do with the Southern Cross.

We went to see a modern day telescope in the north dome. It is a 40cm computer-controlled reflecting (mirrored) telescope. We looked at Jupiter though it looked like a blurry dot because of heat and wind.

In the 3D cinema we watched a movie called Extreme Places. It was about the Galileo project, Titan, the Mars project, Europa and Io.

After that we all went home.

To organise a visit to the observatory, either call the observatory on (02) 9921 3485 or visit http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/.