Outback Astronomy
Outback Astronomy
5
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About
Hang out with the stars while in Broken Hill. Enjoy a personalised night sky show from the comfort of a reclined chair under the vast Outback sky. You'll be enchanted and amazed by this star-gazing experience. Designed for the novice, our Sky Shows introduce you to famous stars and constellations, nebulae and other objects during a virtual cruise across the Milky Way. You'll experience naked eye and binocular-assisted viewing of the night sky with narration by a knowledgeable guide! We also offer telescope viewing in selected shows. We are outdoors under a lovely clear dark sky - there is no light pollution! While we ask that you rug up like your going to the snow, we also supply blankets and zero degree Celsius sleeping bags to slip into (boots and all) during cold months. Note that outback Australia can be sub-zero degrees from April to November! Very soon, we move to a new location with bathroom facilities and other permanent structures! Keep a watch on our website blog and our Facebook page.
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5.0
142 reviews
Excellent
134
Very good
4
Average
2
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0
Terrible
2
michellewN5880KM
Coffs Harbour, Australia105 contributions
Oct 2022
Our group of 8 visiting Broken Hill ventured out for a night under the stars hosted by Linda and Travis who put on a spectacular Star Show. After watching the sun set, we settled into our chairs, helped ourselves to the delicious platters (vegan, vege options available), hot chocolate, wine or beer as we travelled through space and time through Linda's very informative presentation. They have an amazing smart TV/telescope from France which showed incredible real-live shots of the moon, nebulae and galaxy. Linda and Travis are great communicators which ensured the whole evening went very smoothly and there was not a cloud in the sky! The experience is not to be missed and only 10 mins drive from Broken Hill off the Barrier Highway. A must-see experience and supporting a local business after a couple of very tough years.
Written 5 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sandra
Canberra, Australia71 contributions
June 2023 • Couples
Great night with the team at Outback Astronomy. We did the Milky Way hangout and added the recliner and drink/snack package. It was definitely worth the cost.
If you have them take headphones to plug into their audio device, we didn’t have any but bought them for $5.
If you are going in winter make sure you layer up and take a blanket as it gets cold. We were lucky as we had no clouds and no moon so our stargazing was great. The team are very knowledgeable and you can ask questions and take photos.
It’s about 10 mins outside of broken hill to get to and they have good facilities.
If you have them take headphones to plug into their audio device, we didn’t have any but bought them for $5.
If you are going in winter make sure you layer up and take a blanket as it gets cold. We were lucky as we had no clouds and no moon so our stargazing was great. The team are very knowledgeable and you can ask questions and take photos.
It’s about 10 mins outside of broken hill to get to and they have good facilities.
Written 8 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
linkston
Blue Mountains National Park, Australia65 contributions
Jan 2020
This is a wonderful place to get a good orientation of how to look at the night sky in a different way. The owners are casual and knowledgeable. Questions were encouraged and answered well to a level that the listener could understand. We spent the majority of time looking at the sky with binoculars guided by a laser pointer. Some time at the end was spent with a telescope. It is ideal if you can time your trip to coincide with minimal moonlight.
Written 9 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RSJTD
Sydney, Australia55 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
An underwhelming night I'm sorry to say. Commentary was pretty ordinary. I wouldn't bother with the recliner seating as we kept getting up to look at the computer screen or the telescope - so well done to those who chose the "cheap seats". Lovely hosts but maybe they need a script to follow? Maybe Linda could let us know at the beginning of the Star Talk, where she studied so we feel reassured. Good parts: - the food was lovely, ditto the wine. I saw a shooting star which was the highlight of the night. We have been to the fabulous Sounds of Silence Dinner at Uluru which may have spoilt us.
Written 6 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback. We think you may have been expecting more depth than we deliver to novice stargazers. Our experience introduces the night sky to those who’ve not had this opportunity.
The recliner chairs are popular. They are appealing in winter with sleeping bags. The ground conditions on our stargazing site prevent use of sleeping bags in combination with benches. Naked eye gazing is the focus. It is entirely optional to use binoculars or view in telescopes.
As for “cheap seats”, we designed and built these ourselves from recycled plastic and the cost of one sustainable bench seat is six times the price we paid for one reclined chair (made overseas). We invested in sustainable bench seating for summer sky shows. We recommend use of benches only if expert at dressing for cold temperatures.
The sky guide (me) has two degrees (business/technology). I think it is important to point out that any tertiary degree forms an awareness of how much a student does not know. Two tertiary degrees emphasises this. However, be assured that commentary rises from deep knowledge of information relevant to the sky view. As a highly accomplished naked-eye astronomer, I gained detailed knowledge of the celestial sphere from decades of self study, reading and observation, including use of quaint, but official, paper-based star maps, and probably five times the 10,000 hour rule with time spent reading, and learning from digital resources (lectures, podcasts, which I pursue for love more than anything).
It is useful to know that your benchmark experience was at Uluru. If only we had the staff, funds and other resources to make this comparison somewhat fair. It reminds me of the distances to stars and how, counter-intuitively, the brightest is not necessarily the closest; apparently two stargazing experiences but in absolute terms they are completely different in terms of levels of resources required to deliver. Our small business was built by just two persons from our private funds.
Written 12 May 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
alexbrice2016
Sydney, Australia8 contributions
Sept 2022 • Family
Our family of four (kids age 13 & 11) enjoyed a great night out. We learned all about the stars, huge distances, speed of light, constellations, galaxies and more.
Definitely dress warm - and the hot chocolate was a winner. Expert and friendly commentary along with additional telescopes to view planets and far away stars. Highly recommend it!
Definitely dress warm - and the hot chocolate was a winner. Expert and friendly commentary along with additional telescopes to view planets and far away stars. Highly recommend it!
Written 30 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris A
Warilla, Australia23 contributions
Oct 2020
Attended this popular attraction in Broken Hill. A very interesting experience if you are a newcomer to astronomy. Passionate presenter with a host of knowledge. Very well run with plenty of equipment on hand for you to enjoy the experience.
Written 23 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claire R
3 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
Wonderful experience! Professionally run with the comfort and care of guests foremost. A magically informative night which will set you on a path to understanding the landmarks of stargazing. Galaxies, the birthplaces of stars and red giants all pointed out and discussed. Telescopes and latest equipment helped us see it all! You must experience this whist in Broken Hill!
Written 16 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard & Meg S
Oatley, Australia276 contributions
July 2018 • Couples
Living in Sydney we never get to see a decent view of the stars because of the abundance of light, so when we decided to head west for a holiday, stargazing was high on the wish list. When we saw an organised evening of astronomy in Broken Hill we jumped at the chance.
Linda and Travis have created a great concept - watching stars on a Winters evening, relaxing on a folding outdoor chair whilst remaining toasty in a sleeping bag. Added to this you are given a pair of high powered binoculars that give you a totally different perspective on the galaxies above. If you want to enjoy hot chocolate in a thermos whilst viewing the stars that’s an added option.
Both Linda and Travis know their astronomy backwards and the 1.5 hr commentary was both enjoyable and very educational.
A couple of hints... if you’re visiting in Winter, come prepared with copious layers of clothing and also bring your own headphones so you can listen clearly to Linda’s commentary.
If you’re interested in astronomy or just like experiencing a very unique evening that only Australia could offer, this is a must!
Linda and Travis have created a great concept - watching stars on a Winters evening, relaxing on a folding outdoor chair whilst remaining toasty in a sleeping bag. Added to this you are given a pair of high powered binoculars that give you a totally different perspective on the galaxies above. If you want to enjoy hot chocolate in a thermos whilst viewing the stars that’s an added option.
Both Linda and Travis know their astronomy backwards and the 1.5 hr commentary was both enjoyable and very educational.
A couple of hints... if you’re visiting in Winter, come prepared with copious layers of clothing and also bring your own headphones so you can listen clearly to Linda’s commentary.
If you’re interested in astronomy or just like experiencing a very unique evening that only Australia could offer, this is a must!
Written 11 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marek P
Adelaide, Australia495 contributions
Dec 2020
Even before attending the evening Linda was attentive with communications, text and phone calls when it looked like the weather might not be good. The weather came good and we had a really enjoyable time.
Comfortable seating, good equipment and all with food and drink options. You get your own high powered binoculars and a headset so all can hear Linda's dialogue.
Great for those who would like to know more about the universe and informative for those who already have that passion.
This is a recommended experience and something different to do in Broken Hill that can't be replicated in the cities.
Comfortable seating, good equipment and all with food and drink options. You get your own high powered binoculars and a headset so all can hear Linda's dialogue.
Great for those who would like to know more about the universe and informative for those who already have that passion.
This is a recommended experience and something different to do in Broken Hill that can't be replicated in the cities.
Written 24 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Audilin
Sydney, Australia1 contribution
Oct 2018 • Couples
A phenomenal night gazing at a canvas of stars under the guidance of warm and gifted tour guides. Linda and Travis' passion for astronomy, gift for illustrating concepts in clear and interesting ways, and thoughtful touches made for an unforgettable experience. We enjoyed the cozy blankets, comfy lounge chairs and using the binoculars and sky telescope while listening to Linda's narration through the handy headsets. They were fantastic about communicating with the group beforehand, so we were prepared - be sure to wear several layers of warm clothing. They were also especially generous and thoughtful in tailoring the tour around the group's interests as well as the cloud forecast for the next few evenings. My husband and I went away marveling with delight and wishing we could have brought many of our friends and their kids. We can't recommend this place highly enough to people of all ages. Truly a gem of the outback that is not to be missed! Thank you, Linda and Travis!!
Written 12 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Most guests self drive to our venue. However, limited transport is available by Outback Astronomy. If given reasonable notice we may be able to assist in arranging transport for larger groups.
Written 12 August 2019
Is there a family ticket or is it $45 per person? We have a 9 & 11yr olds??
Written 1 December 2016
Hi there
Adults are $45 per person and your children in the 6-12 years category are $25 each and other people in the 13-17 years range are $35 each.
We have this information in our FAQs on our website and planning to programme in to our website pricing area early 2017 when we do the next website enhancements.
If you are looking to book/pay online for these age groups in the interim, you may send us an email with your preferred sky show and date and we can reserve the places for you to save paying up front and having us reimburse you down the track. The only evenings when we do not discount for people aged 6-17 yrs are on Friday and Saturday Hangouts or other events priced higher than the $45 as this means we keep groups small.
We hope this assists you!
If not, please email us for further details. You need to go to our webpage for the email link as I cannot post here.
Regards, Linda at Outback Astronomy
Written 1 December 2016
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.