Oakley Southern Sky observatory

Oakley Southern Sky Observatory gives Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology a window onto the southern hemisphere sky, from a remote site in New South Wales, Australia.

About Oakley Southern Sky Observatory

Run by the same Indiana-based institution as Oakley Observatory, this southern-hemisphere counterpart has been operating since 2007, chosen for its clear, dark skies far from the light pollution of major cities.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's main instrument is a 20-inch Ritchey-Chretien optical tube assembly mounted on a Paramount ME mount, paired with a Santa Barbara Instrument Group STL-1001E CCD camera fitted with a clear filter, all housed in a roll-off roof building. The facility has been used for asteroid lightcurve analysis and other photometric observations.

Location & getting there

The observatory is sited in New South Wales, Australia, in Oceania, at a location selected specifically for its dark southern skies. Use the map on this page for its coordinates.

Visiting Oakley Southern Sky Observatory

As a remote, largely automated research site run for Rose-Hulman's astronomy program, it is not set up for casual public visits; those interested should contact Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology directly.

See your named star from here

Because it looks out on the southern sky, this observatory can reach stars invisible from much of the northern hemisphere, including, potentially, one you have named through Star Register. Check its coordinates in the star catalogue.