Southland Astronomical Society Observatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southland Astronomical Society Observatory |
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| Location | 108 Gala Street, Invercargill, New Zealand |
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Coordinates
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46°24′19″S 168°21′10″E / 46.40525°S 168.35287°E
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| Website http://homepage.mac.com/stevoss/SAS/ |
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The Southland Astronomical Society Observatory is a special place in Invercargill, New Zealand. It is the most southern observatory in New Zealand! An observatory is a building or place where scientists and sky-watchers use telescopes to look at stars, planets, and other things in space.
This observatory is run by the Southland Astronomical Society. However, it is owned by the Southland Museum and Art Gallery. You can find it on the western side of the museum building.
Contents
Exploring the Main Telescope
The main telescope at the observatory is very powerful. It has a mirror that is 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) wide. This type of telescope is called a Cassegrain design. It uses mirrors to collect light from far-off objects in space.
How the Telescope Works
The telescope is set up on a "fork mount." This means it sits on a special stand that looks like a fork. This mount helps the telescope move smoothly to follow stars and planets as they move across the sky.
The telescope can also be used in a different way, called the Newtonian configuration. This is done by taking out one of its mirrors. This allows for different kinds of sky observations. A person named Russell Beck built this amazing telescope.
Visiting the Observatory
The observatory welcomes visitors to look through its telescopes. They have public viewing nights every Wednesday. These nights happen from April to September. During this time, daylight saving time is not in effect.
Public Viewing Times
You can visit the observatory on Wednesday evenings. The viewing hours are from 7 PM to 9 PM. This is a great chance to see the night sky up close!
