Mount Stromlo Observatory

Mount Stromlo Observatory stands 770 metres up in the hills west of Canberra, Australia, where it has operated as the country's oldest astronomical observatory since 1924.

About Mount Stromlo Observatory

The observatory is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University (ANU). Founded in 1924, it built up a collection of historic telescopes over the following decades that made it a cornerstone of Australian astronomy.

History

On 18 January 2003, a severe bushfire tore through Mount Stromlo, destroying Australia's oldest telescope along with several others on the site. Remarkably, the Farnham telescope survived the firestorm intact and has since been repurposed for public outreach, letting the observatory keep sharing the sky with visitors even after the disaster.

Telescopes & research

Alongside the surviving Farnham telescope, the site is home to the Oddie Refractor and other instruments used for both research and public observing programs run by ANU.

Location & getting there

At 770 metres elevation in the hills just west of Canberra, Mount Stromlo is easily reached from the Australian capital, making it one of the more accessible historic observatories in the country.

Visiting Mount Stromlo Observatory

ANU runs the site with public and educational programs, though exact tour times and ticketing are best confirmed on the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics website before you visit.

See your named star from here

Almost a century of stargazing history sits behind Mount Stromlo's surviving telescopes, and its outreach programs are a fitting place to trace the coordinates of a name star. Name a star and find it on the star catalogue.