Green Point Observatory

Green Point Observatory is a community-run astronomical observatory in Oyster Bay, Sydney, home to the Sutherland Astronomical Society.

About Green Point Observatory

Standing at the corner of Green Point and Caravan Head Roads, the site includes a dome, a roll-off roof observatory, a library, and a meeting hall that seats 100 people. It houses two main telescopes: a 41-centimetre Newtonian, built by society members and named the Keith Selby telescope in honour of one of the society's founders, and a 35-centimetre Schmidt-Cassegrain.

History

The observatory was completed in 1969, shortly after the founding of the Sutherland Astronomical Society, then known as the James Cook Astronomers Club. A foyer and 50-seat meeting hall were added in 1974, and a roll-off roof observatory and storeroom followed in 1997, when a 14-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and CCD imaging equipment joined the facility. Further building work in 2007 joined the two structures, expanded the meeting hall to seat 100, and added a library annexe. After a maintenance-focused closure during COVID-19 lockdowns, the observatory reopened to the public in August 2022, with the Keith Selby telescope upgraded to computer-driven control.

Telescopes & research

Members use the site's telescopes for observing stars and eclipses, astrophotography, and research, alongside the observatory's public education programme.

Location & getting there

Green Point Observatory sits in Oyster Bay, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, in the Oceania region Star Register tracks. Its position within Sydney's southern suburbs makes it accessible for a day or evening visit.

Visiting Green Point Observatory

The observatory hosts annual public star parties, an annual astronomy course, monthly open nights, and group bookings for schools, scouts, and community groups; check with the Sutherland Astronomical Society for current dates before visiting.

See your named star from here

A star named through Star Register arrives with exact coordinates, the same kind of data volunteers here use to guide their telescopes across the night sky. Explore our packages or browse the catalogue to name a star of your own.