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Gravity Discovery Centre facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Gravity Discovery Centre (logo)
The Gravity Discovery Centre logo

The Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory is a "hands-on" Science education, astronomy, Aboriginal culture and tourist centre, situated on the site of the Gravity precinct, near Gingin, north of Perth, Western Australia.

The centre is operated by The Gravity Discovery Centre Foundation Board Inc and provides information and displays regarding physics, astronomy and Australian Aboriginal Culture specialising in gravity and cosmology. The site of the public centre is located in pristine Western Australian bushland.

The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions manages the bushland surrounding the Discovery Centre and the observatory, and strives to keep the area untouched (from weeds, litter, etc.). The surrounding area is abundant in seasonal wildflowers.

In 2005 the Gravity Discovery Centre was awarded the Eureka Prize for "promoting [the] understanding of science." The GDC is a significant Western Australian asset.

Exhibits

  • The Discovery Centre
    • Magnetic Skateboard
    • AIGO Model
    • Bernoulli Ball
    • Space Capsule
  • The Cosmology Gallery, topped with a 20-metre (66 ft) diameter Buckyball dome
    • Niobe, the first southern hemisphere gravitational wave detector.
    • Timeline from the Big Bang to the present
    • Penrose Floor
    • Astrophotography
    • The Australian Shaman Exhibition
    • Coherence to Chaos Exhibition
    • Multicultural artwork
  • Southern Cross Cosmos Centre, home to the GDC Observatory
  • The Zadko Telescope, a robotic optical telescope.

The Leaning Tower of Gingin

Leaning tower of gingin
The Leaning Tower of Gingin

The Leaning Tower of Gingin is a purpose built 45-metre (148 ft) tall steel inclined tower, designed so that visitors can recreate the experiments of Galileo Galilei. There are 222 steps to the top from where balloons filled with water can be dropped through chutes. The tower leans at an angle of 15 degrees and held in place by 180 tons of concrete. The drop tower is also used by the YouTube channel "How Ridiculous" for various drop tests.

Images for kids

  • Gravity Discovery Centre - Cosmology Gallery

    Cosmology Gallery with geodesic dome roof

  • Niobe display

    The Niobe display

  • Expanding universe

    The expanding universe display

  • Indigenous art

    Some of the Indigenous Australian art relating to cosmology and the night sky.

  • The Leaning Tower of Gingin, September 2021 05

    The Leaning Tower of Gingin

  • View of the site

    A view across the site

  • Twisted Marri

    A twisted Marri tree (Corymbia calophylla)

  • Stylidium and hibbertia

    Wildflowers at site: Stylidium sp. or Trigger Plant (foreground) and Hibbertia sp. (background)

  • Morrison at GDC Wendy

    Verticordia nitens (Morrison)

  • Bernoulli display

    Demonstrating the Bernoulli effect

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