This page is for those who want to observe the Moon (and planets) up close in our BIG telescopes.

Of course you will get to see other stuff too, but primarily it's the Moon and all its features you are coming to see.

We do not do any nights close to or on a Full Moon. Go by the dates below.

If you want a date to see more stars, nebulae, and galaxies without interfering moonlight, click on the Stars and Planets tab.

Yr 7-12 should pick Stars and Planets tab..

Moon + Saturn + star clusters, etc.

Jul 01 - 04 and 26 - 31

Moon + Jupiter + star clusters, etc.

Aug 01 - 03 and 26 - 31

Sep 01 - 02 and 25 - 30

Oct 24 - 31

Nov 23 - 28

Dec 23 - 30

22 days old.

This phase always rises around midnight and sets around noon.Each night the Moon comes up about 50 minutes later than before.That is why you can see the Moon in the afternoon.The moon takes 29.5 days to orbit the Earth and varies its distance by as much as 50,000 kms at Perigee (closets) and Apogee (furthest).  See LINK in top menu to read more.

9 day old Moon

This a good time to search for domes, rills and scarps. It is also a good phase time as the Moon is high in the sky and the detail seen down the night/day boundary called the terminator, shows incredible detail. Clavius, Tycho and Copernicus are three of the largest craters seen at this time of the lunar month.

Copernicus crater.

The results of a massive meteor/asteroid impact in the 'Ocean of Storms' basin. 115kms across, it has terrace walls and a 'central peak' the remains of 'melt' from the impact projectile. Truly a magnificent specimen of Lunar geology.Best time to view this  feature is 2 nights after 1st Quarter Moon. Want to take photos like this?  If so, a small fee will apply. Contact the Obs. on 4164  6194.

All moon photos by James Barclay

Full Moon

The Moon, is our nearest celestial neighbour to Earth and it lies at a mean distance of 300,000 kms.

It has 1/6 of Earth's gravity and Lunar day temperatures are hot enough to boil water instantly.  During a Lunar night however,  (equal to 14 days here on Earth) .the temp. is so cold it would snap your bones.

During each lunar cycle the Moon moves through various phases of Waxing and Waning. New Moon is when the Moon lies between us and the Sun. About 4 days after a New Moon we see a Waxing Crescent shape Moon facing west. By the 7th day we see a 'Half' or First Quarter Moon and 5 nights later, we see a Gibbous Moon. On the 15th night we have a Full Moon.Since the Full Moon rises around 6pm each month, Last Quarter comes up around midnight and sets at midday. A waning crescent comes up around 3am and sets around 3pm.

'Illusion Moon'.

Every time the Moon rises in the east is looks bigger then when its higher up in the sky. This illusion is moonlight is being refracted or bent by the atmosphere containing water, dust and smoke particles.All this helps to 'magnify' anything rising in the east or setting in the west. A typical analogy is a pencil in a glass of water. You will see how much the pencil is distorted and magnified by the water and glass.This is the same affect as the atmosphere has which gives us this so called, 'Moon illusion'.