Hi, Welcome to Mudgee Observatory.

Mudgee Observatory has been a private observatory for the past ten years and used on occasion by the university of NSW, the staff of Sydney Observatory and members of the Sutherland Astronomical Society.

We are now open to the general public and catering for school groups, organized tours and any member of the general public who wishes to attend. The observatory is situated 15 minutes drive to the west of Mudgee in a location of extremely dark skies away from the town lights and the lights of Ulan mines. Here the night skies can be viewed as they were meant to be viewed. A visit to Mudgee observatory can be both entertaining and educational for  people of all ages. The theatre and flat screen planetarium runs several features on the night sky and the Sun as well as many programs on space missions. A good variety of telescopes and binoculars are available for our visitors to use as well as conducted tours of the night sky. We also run daytime sessions for viewing the Sun and bookings are essential for both night and day sessions.

The observatory shop sells coffee, cold drinks and confectionary as well as books on astronomy and several other items.

* 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy. Let's celebrate *

Grinding his own lenses, Galileo made a small refracting telescope which he turned to the sky making observations of the Moon, the known planets of the time and even the Sun, much to the detriment of his eyesight. His discovery of four moons orbiting the planet Jupiter was the first direct visual evidence that the Earth was not the centre of the Universe as was the popular thinking of the time. In 1610 Galileo published "The Starry Messenger" which detailed his initial observations using the telescope and promoted the Copernican model of the universe which had the Sun at its centre.

In 1609 word reached the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei of  a device made by Dutch inventor Hans Lippershey. This  device, consisting of two lenses in a tube, let an observer  see distant things up close.

These teachings were in direct conflict with the church's teachings of an Earth centered universe and at a trial in Rome in 1633 he was found guilty of having "held and taught" the Copernican doctrine and was forced to renounce his beliefs. He spent the last nine years of his life under house arrest.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of modern astronomy the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have designated 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). It is intended to be a celebration of astronomy and its contribution to society, culture and science. About 140 countries are expected to participate in making the general public more aware of the science of astronomy and more in touch with their place in the Universe. So make a special effort to get out under the night sky in 2009 and wonder at the beauty that greets you on a moonless night away from the lights of the towns and cities. Ask questions of your local astronomy groups and societies and maybe even go along to one of their meetings. Who knows, you may even get hooked on it.