Mount Kent Observatory

Mount Kent Observatory, near Toowoomba in Queensland's Darling Downs region, is the only professional astronomical research observatory in the state, and a key site in the global hunt for exoplanets.

About Mount Kent Observatory

The observatory is owned and operated by the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ). It hosts five MINERVA-Australis exoplanet-finding telescopes, three SONG telescopes used for asteroseismology and stellar astrophysics, two 'Shared Skies' telescopes, and a USQ-Louisville telescope, alongside its role in teaching UniSQ students.

Telescopes & research

MINERVA-Australis, which achieved first light in 2018 and officially launched on July 23, 2019, is dedicated to confirming exoplanet candidates found by NASA's TESS mission from the southern hemisphere; the array has confirmed 30 planets and discovered 40 new exoplanets. The site also continues to contribute radial velocity data to the long-running Anglo-Australian Planet Search, and its Shared Skies Partnership links it with the University of Louisville's Moore Observatory in Kentucky.

Location & getting there

Mount Kent Observatory is located near Toowoomba in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, in the Oceania region.

Visiting Mount Kent Observatory

As UniSQ's working research and teaching facility, check the university's website for current public access or open-day information before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

The same exoplanet-hunting telescopes at Mount Kent rely on precise stellar coordinates, exactly like the ones that come with a Star Register named star. Name a star and look up its coordinates in the catalogue to see where it sits in the southern sky.