Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wished you could get a better view? Do you have children who dream of becoming astronauts or space explorers when they grow up? If your kids would like the chance to look through a professional telescope to see the wonders of the nightsky, then you should take them along to one of the Brisbane Astronomical Society public viewing nights.
What To Expect from a Brisbane Astronomical Society Public Viewing
Every month, Brisbane Astronomical Viewing Society volunteers set up their telescopes at Mt Coot-tha lookout and invite the public to check out the night sky. As you can imagine, this is a popular event, and it is completely free. You can find their dates in their public viewing calendar.
These events are weather-dependent, so you should check their social pages for the latest updates.
When we arrived at Mt Coot-tha it was just before nightfall and so all the telescopes were focused on the moon. As the night went on and the skies darkened, the telescopes began to focus on other areas of the sky. This included planets in our solar system and far off stars and galaxies. What you will see will depend on what is visible and the weather.
We stood in quick-moving lines at different telescopes and were invited to look through to view the moon and other sky features in amazing detail.
There were several different telescopes of different sizes, offering different levels of magnification. All the volunteers were friendly and happy to share their knowledge. Being at Mt Coot-tha at sunset is a lovely experience in itself and the views over Brisbane are spectacular.
Please remember this is a public lookout and these evenings are popular, so you can expect to spend some time looking for a park. Park further away and walk further, or get there early and wait. You could pack a picnic dinner and enjoy watching the late afternoon and sunset light reflect off the city buildings while waiting for the telescopes to be active.
While You’re at Mount Coot-Tha
Why not make a day of it? The Mt Coot-Tha botanic gardens are a fantastic place to visit, and they have plenty to keep kids entertained. If you want to stick to the space theme, the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium is also nearby. There are also several lovely walking tracks in the area. You can find out more about things to to at Mount Coot-Tha here.
More Astronomy Help for Brisbane Kids
If your kids enjoyed this activity, check out our guide for astronomy in Brisbane. It covers everything from stargazing apps to other astronomy clubs and sites they can visit to explore astronomy.
About Brisbane Astronomical Society
The Brisbane Astronomical Society are a group of volunteers who are enthusiastic about all things space. They are genuinely enthusiastic about sharing their interest and knowledge with others which is why they hold these public viewing evenings.
They also hold exclusive events for members throughout the year, including observatory evenings and other telescope events. You can check their Facebook page or website for more details.
If you’re interested in joining and finding out more, you can join the Brisbane Astronomical Society for $40 a year for a family membership (as of March 2024). This gives you access to telescope hire, a library, and different events held by the society. These include monthly Zoom meetings and member-only dark sky nights to the north, south, and west of Brisbane.
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