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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.

 

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

Crux Magazine for April-May Online

The April-May edition of Crux is now available in PDF for downloading by Members. Your printed version was mailed out on the 29th of March and should be in your letter box soon.

ASV 2019 Yearbook Online

The ASV 2019 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.

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.

Wed 29 May

Council

7.45pm - 10.15pm

ASV Council meeting
Location: ASV Lodge

Fri 31 May

Club Section meeting

8.00pm - 11.00pm

Club Section meetings are informal and take place on the first and last Friday of the month (public holidays excepted) between 8:00 – 11:00pm at the ASV Lodge.
Come along for a chat, all members welcome.

Sat 1 June - Sun 2 June

Deep Sky Section

6.00pm Sat 1-Jun - 8.00am Sun 2-Jun

Location: LMDSS

Bring a plate to share at supper.

For further information, contact Section Director: Paul Gardiner

Mon 3 June

Computing Section

8.00pm - 10.00pm

For further information contact Section Director: Craig Boyd
Location: ASV Lodge

Wed 5 June

Cosmology and Astro-Physics Section Meeting

8.00pm - 10.30pm

Discuss current news in Cosmology and Astro-Physics
Topic:

Location: ASV Lodge
“All Welcome – Bring an Open Mind”

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

Fri 7 June

Club Section

8.00pm - 11.00pm

Club Section meetings are informal and take place on the first and last Friday of the month (public holidays excepted) between 8:00 – 11:00pm at the ASV Lodge.
Come along for a chat, all members welcome.

Wed 12 June

Library (Members Only)

6.30pm - 7.45pm

Location: Birdwood Ave, Melbourne

The Library is open at the following times:
+ Monthly Meeting - before 6.30 to 7.45pm and after from approx. 10:00 to 10:45pm
+ Members' Night - from 7pm to 7:50pm
+ Last Sunday of month - 2pm to 4pm

The Library is now in the old Government Astronomers’ Office which is in the north west corner of the main building at Melbourne Observatory.

There are currently a large number of books and magazines, surplus to the Library’s needs, for sale. The sale is on-going whenever the Library is open.

For further information contact Barry Cleland, 0418 356 832

Wed 12 June

ASV Monthly meeting

8.00pm - 10.00pm

Location: Mueller Auditorium, National Herbarium, Birdwood Ave., Melbourne

Topic: Chasing the Aurora Borealis in Norway and Iceland - presented by ASV members Belinda Wickens and Ken Le Marquand

Everybody is welcome and the night will end with a delicious supper and it is FREE
Looking forward to seeing you there.

Fri 14 June

Library (Members Only)

6.30pm - 7.45pm

Location: Birdwood Ave, Melbourne

The Library is open at the following times:
+ Monthly Meeting - before 6.30 to 7.45pm and after from approx. 10:00 to 10:45pm
+ Members' Night - from 7pm to 7:50pm
+ Last Sunday of month - 2pm to 4pm

The Library is now in the old Government Astronomers’ Office which is in the north west corner of the main building at Melbourne Observatory.

There are currently a large number of books and magazines, surplus to the Library’s needs, for sale. The sale is on-going whenever the Library is open.

For further information contact Barry Cleland, 0418 356 832

Fri 14 June

Junior Section

7.30pm - 9.30pm

Location: ASV Lodge

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

For further information contact Section Director: Chris Rudge

Fri 14 June

Members' Night

8.00pm - 11.00pm

Location: ASV Library, Observatory Gate, Birdwood Ave., Melbourne

Contact: Rod Brown

Sat 15 June

Instrument Making Section

2.00pm - 5.00pm

Location: ASV Lodge
For further information contact Section Director: Mark Justice

Sun 16 June

Astrophotography Section meeting

2.30pm - 4.30pm

Topic: Collimation Workshop - Presented by Diego Colonnello
Location: ASV Lodge
For more information, contact Section Director: Paul Litchen

Mon 17 June

Radio Astronomy

8.00pm - 11.00pm

Radio Astronomy Section meeting
Location: ASV Lodge
For further information contact Section Director: Clint Jeffrey

More events: Calendar