The Great Outback Sky

From the very first person walking the Earth, we humans have been mesmerised and our curiosity stirred in amazement at the night sky.

Through the years technology has advanced and we not only know more but can see closer. Learn about everything from constellations to amazing scientific facts or view our brightest star, the sun, and see flares shoot into the darkness of space. When in Charleville you can begin your journey into the Universe day and night – sit back and enjoy!

COSMOS CENTRE

What the eye cannot see, a telescope can! A night at the Charleville Cosmos Centre is the perfect introduction to the spectacular Outback Night Sky. There is something for everyone and every budget, even during the day.

Astronomy by Day: A free experience within the centre. Learn if stars come out during the day and challenge your knowledge of space, astronauts and everything in that big sky. There’s the ‘Puffersphere’, it’s fun and interactive for kids of all ages to explore our Solar System. Sun Viewing: Here comes the sun! See our brightest star up close through the largest telescope of its kind in Australia and don’t forget your smartphone for that take-home photo.

Big Sky Observatory: The evening session introduces you to a close-up view of the rings around Saturn, the moons and constellations and stars colourfully splashed onto a dark black velvet overnight sky. Learn interesting facts from your guides.

Universal Dreaming: The stars have held an important place across many cultures around the world and an inspiration in telling stories about creation, laws, seasons and animal behaviour. Learn about cultures of the past around our custom-built firepit, carved with the Cosmos Centre logo, Orion the Hunter and the Southern Cross along with the Milky Way.

Did you know?

The moon controls all the world’s oceans and the reason we have high and low tides. Only 12 people have ever set foot on the moon.

Because there is no wind, if you visited the moon today you would still see their footprints.

Small and Personal: These personal tours are created for a group or family looking for some special telescope time. During this personalised tour see craters, stars and constellations.

See a film in the Planetarium – Our Astrodome:

Sit back and relax while taking a virtual tour experiencing the universe around our 15-metre dome theatre. Three shows are run daily each designed around different age groups and interests. Shows include: • The Birth of Planet Earth ’Birth to the Planet Earth’ tells the twisted tale of our planet’s origins, how it came to support life, where the

Moon came from and more. Employing cinematic-quality visualisations, ‘Birth to the Planet Earth’ explores how the Earth became a living planet in the wake of our Solar

System’s violent birth and looking at the history of the

Earth, what does it tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like? • Beyond the Sun

Celeste, a little girl who wants to explore the Universe, learns how to discover exoplanets and sets on an exciting journey to find new Earths. With an unexpected visit from

Moon, Moon and Celeste journey together to discover what exoplanets are and how they can be detected. They observe rouge planets, oceanic worlds and super-Earths, fuelling the passion of Celeste to maybe grow up and become an exoplanet hunter. • World 2 War

Discover the events of WWII on a global scale through our ground-breaking Astrodome. Join us, with our state-of-the-art technology which delivers an accurate timeline of events from around the world. From the beaches of Normandy to Pearl Harbour this pioneering animated documentary will bring out the historian within you.

Explore the vast beauty of the night sky

CHARLEVILLE COSMOS CENTRE

Milky Way Drive (off Qantas Drive) Charleville 07 4654 7771

FACILITIES

EVENING STAR GAZING

Evening Star Caravan Park Adavale Road 8 km west of Charleville 07 4654 2430