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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.

 

 

LMDSS UPDATE 16:00hrs 2nd August, 2020:

Due to the recent changes to the health restrictions the ASV executive has reviewed the current situation with members attending LMDSS. 

LMDSS is closed until further notice.

 

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 August - September 2020

The August-September 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 16
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 iCal

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.

Sat 15 August

Instrument Making Section

2.00pm - 5.00pm

Location: Zoom
For further information contact Section Director: Mark Justice

Mon 17 August

Radio Astronomy (via Zoom)

7.45pm - 10.45pm

Radio Astronomy Section meeting
Location: Online Via Zoom
For further information contact Section Director: Clint Jeffrey

Tue 18 August

The Diurnals

10.30am - 12.15pm

Location:

Topic: Film - “Orbit – Earth’s Extraordinary Journey” - Episode 2, 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 19 August

New Astronomers Group (NAG)

7.30pm - 10.30pm

Topic: What is the Big Bang?
Science says that all matter in our Universe was formed after one explosive event 13.7 billion years ago ::: Let's discuss what is this Big Bang theory all about.

Online Via Zoom  
For more information, contact Section Director: Ken Le Marquand: 
E:nag@asv.org.au

Thu 20 August

Bendigo Section

7.30pm - 10.00pm

Bendigo District Astronomical Section (BDAS)
For more information, contact Section Director, Noel Harvie E: bendigo@asv.org.au

Fri 21 August

Lunar and Planetary Section meeting

8.00pm - 10.30pm

Online Via Zoom
For more information, contact Section Director: Andrea King

Sat 22 August - Sun 23 August

Deep Sky Section

6.00pm Sat 22-Aug - 8.00am Sun 23-Aug

Online Via Zoom  
If travelling to LMDSS log in at http://asv.org.au/lmdss.php for gate and clubhouse codes.

Bring a plate to share at supper.

For further information, contact Section Director: Paul Gardiner

Wed 26 August

Council

7.45pm - 10.15pm

ASV Council meeting
Online Via Zoom

Sun 30 August

Solar Section meeting

2.00pm - 4.00pm

Location:

Location:Online Via Zoom  
For more information contact: Russ Cockman, Section Director
Email: solar@asv.org.au

Wed 2 September

Cosmology and Astro-Physics Section Meeting

8.00pm - 10.30pm

Discuss current news in Cosmology and Astro-Physics
Topic:

Location: Online Via Zoom  
“All Welcome – Bring an Open Mind”
Note: ASV members only

Contact:Ross Berner
Mobile:0403 167 004
Email:cosmology@asv.net.au

Mon 7 September

Computing Section

8.00pm - 10.00pm

For further information contact Section Director: Craig Boyd
Location:Online Via Zoom

Wed 9 September

ASV Monthly meeting

8.00pm - 10.00pm

Location: Online via Zoom

Speaker:  Mary Adam, Astronomical Society of South Australia

Topic:  The History of Astronomy


Via Zoom
   

Fri 11 September

Junior Section

7.30pm - 9.30pm

Location: Online Via Zoom

Meeting times:-
7:00pm - 9:00pm (EST)
7:30pm - 9:30pm (DST)

For further information contact Section Director: Chris Rudge

Sun 13 September

Astrophotography Section meeting

2.30pm - 4.30pm

Topic: TBA
Presenters: TBA
Location: Online Via Zoom
For more information, contact Section Director: Paul Litchen

More events: Calendar