Welcome to the Astronomical Society of Victoria
The Society is based in Melbourne, Australia and includes city and country members, as well some in other states and overseas. It attracts people with a wide range of astronomical interests, ages, abilities and experience. Originally founded in 1922, it is the largest such organisation in the southern hemisphere.
Membership is open to all with an interest in astronomy.
Astronomy for the people
Astronomy for the People is an ASV service providing telescopes for schools and public demonstrations. Image by David RolfeMore Info
Membership
Anyone with an interest in astronomy can join the Society. Membership gives you access to the loan telescope program, ASV meetings and our pristine dark sky property.Join now
Image Gallery
View astronomical images taken by members of the ASV - everything from the moon and planets to nebula and far away galaxies.View images
Astrophotography
Our Astrophotography section meets regularly at ASV lodge and has monthly field trips to our dark sky site. The section is very active and new members are always welcome. Read more
Radio Astronomy
Radio Astronomy is a study of the Universe by detecting electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths. The Radio Astronomy section explores all types of science related topics. Read more
UPDATE: ASV Section and Monthly Meetings for Members Now on 'Zoom'
Whilst we're all waiting for the restrictions on social gatherings to ease, the ASV is offering all its regular meetings and learning sessions via Zoom.
Already there's much successfully conducted through ZOOM, plus we've also introduced a new weekly digital online magazine called CRUX Extra!, so members may continuously be astronomically informed.
Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page by clicking here.
Crux Magazine for June - July 2020
The June-July edition of Crux is now available for downloading by Members.
Crux Extra!
Crux Extra comes out weekly with articles on Astronomy and related areas.
Download Issue 11
Visit the Members Area and go to Downloads.
ASV 2020 Yearbook Online
The ASV 2020 Yearbook is now available in PDF for downloading by Members.
ASV Items For Sale
A section in the ASV Forum has been created for members wanting to buy or sell Astronomical Items.
Please log in to the Members Only section and visit the Forum or click on the 'Chat' icon.
The Great Melbourne Telescope Restoration Project
Here's a link to a story by Liz Clarkson with a number of images of ASV members hard at work in restoring the Great Melbourne Telescope. It gives a little bit of history and outlines the aims and current status of the project to bring this telescope back to Melbourne Observatory, in a working condition for members of the public to look through. It was once the largest steerable telescope in the world back in the late 1880s.
The Great Melbourne Telescope Restoration on Ch 9 News
Many people are not aware that Melbourne Observatory was the home of the largest steerable telescope in the world during the second half of the 1800s. There is magnificent volunteer effort from ASV members to restore the Great Melbourne Telescope and have it reinstalled in its original roll-off roof observatory not far from The Shrine. Channel 9 News presented a report on it recently and if you missed it on air, here's a link to it: https://twitter.com/9NewsMelb/status/1058993849224163328
Events 
The ASV runs a large number of events to cater for a broad range of astronomy related interests. Check the website on a regular basis for the latest updates. The next 14 events are listed below - view the calendar page for a full listing of planned events.
Sun 5 July
Astrophotography Section meeting
2.30pm - 4.30pm
Topic: Operating a Remote Observatory - Presented by Tom Fowler
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For more information, contact Section Director: Paul Litchen
Mon 6 July
Computing Section
8.00pm - 10.00pm
For further information contact Section Director: Craig Boyd
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
Wed 8 July
ASV Monthly meeting - via Zoom
8.00pm - 10.00pm
Location:
Topic: The Great American Eclipse
Speaker: Phil Hart, ASV Members
Fri 10 July
Junior Section
7.30pm - 9.30pm
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
Meeting times:-
7:00pm - 9:00pm (EST)
7:30pm - 9:30pm (DST)
For further information contact Section Director: Chris Rudge
Wed 15 July
New Astronomers Group (NAG)
7.30pm - 10.30pm
Topic: Galaxies are the largest visible building blocks of our Universe.
| It is difficult with the naked eye to see anything that is not in our Milky Way Galaxy. Every individual star one can see is in our Galaxy. With a large telescope under a dark sky you can find Galaxies everywhere. But Astronomers did not always have telescopes. Humanity didn't always know the limits of our Galaxy, nor the existence of other galaxies. This knowledge came only in the 20th century. How did we come to know this? |
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For more information, contact Section Director: Ken Le Marquand:
E:nag@asv.org.au
Thu 16 July
Bendigo Section
7.30pm - 10.00pm
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For more information, contact Section Director, Noel Harvie E: bendigo@asv.org.au
Fri 17 July
Lunar and Planetary Section meeting
8.00pm - 10.30pm
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For more information, contact Section Director: Andrea King
Sat 18 July
Instrument Making Section
2.00pm - 5.00pm
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For further information contact Section Director: Mark Justice
Sat 18 July
Deep Sky Section
7.00pm - 11.00pm
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For further information, contact Section Director: Paul Gardiner
Mon 20 July
Radio Astronomy (via Zoom)
7.45pm - 10.45pm
Radio Astronomy Section meeting
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For further information contact Section Director: Clint Jeffrey
Tue 21 July
The Diurnals
10.30am - 12.15pm
Location:
Topic: Film: “Orbit – Earth’s Extraodinary Journey” – Episode 1, followed by discussion.
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For further information contact Section Director: Patricia Larkin
Wed 22 July
Cosmology and Astro-Physics 101 – Part 3
8.00pm - 10.30pm
Cosmology and Astro-Physics 101 – part 3
The meeting will be held at 8 pm on Wednesday 22nd July 2019 on Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
“Beginners Cosmology and Astro-Physics” (continued)
Note: ASV members only
Fri 24 July
Sidewalk Astronomy, Bendigo AFTP
5.30pm - 7.00pm
Location: Discovery Science and Technology Centre, 7 Railway Place (opposite Marketplace)
Sidewalk Astronomy is Bendigo's favourite astronomy event and is held every month next to the Discovery Science and Technology Centre, 7 Railway Place (opposite Marketplace). Weather permitting.
Bring the family to see cool astro-stuff through our telescopes, our volunteers will give you a tour of the features of night sky. Small groups welcome.
For more information contact: Brien Blackshaw, Ph 03 5447 7690, Email: secretary@bdas.net or check out the website: http://www.bdas.net/sidewalk-
Sun 26 July
Solar Section meeting
2.00pm - 4.00pm
Location: Birdwood Avenue, Birdwood Ave, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia
Via Zoom - Members can visit the Zoom Meeting Information page on the front page of the ASV website
For more information contact: Russ Cockman, Section Director
Email: solar@asv.org.au
More events: Calendar