Sydney Observatory
Offering breathtaking views across Sydney Harbour, Sydney Observatory is Australia’s oldest existing observatory and one of the most significant sites in the nation’s scientific history. The Observatory was built in 1858 and was essential to ship navigation, meteorology and timekeeping as well as studying the unfamiliar stars of the Southern Hemisphere.
In the 1880s Sydney Observatory gained international recognition when Government Astronomer Henry Chamberlain Russell took some of the first astronomical photographs in the world.
Aboriginal people were Australia's first astronomers and one of the Observatory’s exhibitions shows many constellations in the southern skies and explains how they were created from an Aboriginal perspective. It highlights how Indigenous Australians used the stars for navigation, land and water management and ceremonial use. The Dreaming stories associated with the constellations are used to explain Aboriginal laws and to teach children about the morals associated with these stories. The stories are told through animation and interactives, providing a rich and unique perspective of our night sky.
Today, there are many fascinating things to do and discover at Sydney Observatory. Visitors can experience the new 3-D Space Theatre, take a tour to the telescopes, attend one of the regular night viewing sessions of the stars and planets or delve into the observatory’s past.
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Phone: 02 9921 3485 Fax: 02 9921 3489 |
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