to over 300 Astronomical Internet Sites

 

Updated:   21 January 2024


 

All links shown below were correct when this page was set up, but some may have become inactive or changed since that time. If you notice a deactivated or changed link, please send us an email message containing the words "Link Update" in the subject line. Please be specific in identifying the link that needs to be updated.

As astronomers and many others need to have access to accurate time, it is possible to have your PC's real time clock reset with precision every time you go on-line, or every time you boot up your computer if on broadband, by automatically connecting to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) atomic clock servers. Use this link. 


Bureau of Meteorology Weather Watch Radar

Google Earth version 4.2 - zoom in on any place on Earth (even your house) as seen from satellites  (requires Broadband)

NOTE:  This version of GOOGLE EARTH also contains images from some of the world's greatest telescopes of stars, constellations, clusters, nebulae, galaxies, the Moon and planets, plus a 'Backyard astronomy' section that shows night skyscapes visible with the unaided eye or small telescope. Detailed information is also available for each object. The sky can be moved, zoomed and otherwise manipulated in the same way as Google Earth images. Simply click on 'VIEW' to summon a drop-down menu, then click on 'SWITCH TO SKY'.



 

Index

Astronomy for Cool Kids

Transient Phenomena (Comets, eclipses, etc.)
The Sun
News

Miscellaneous Astronomical Web Sites
Astronomical Weblinks

Satellite Observing and Identification
Constellation Pictures
Australian Astronomical Observatory Astrophotographs

Astronomical Software
Free Astronomical Software for Downloading

Satellites, Spacecraft and Space Exploration
Australian Space Craft

Observatories – privately owned
Australian Observatories – public
Foreign Observatories – public

Robotic Telescopes
Planetariums, Science Museums, etc.
Astronomical Studies

Buyer's Guide and Advice
Equipment Manufacturers
Equipment Retailers

Astronomical Educational Services
Books and Magazines On-line
Clubs and Societies

 




 

ASTRONOMY FOR COOL KIDS

Amazing Space

Astronomy for Kids 

Astronomy Resources for Kids  (contributed by Sarah Palmer  and Hannah)

Astronomy Games for Kids  (contributed by Reid McKiernan)

Astronomy Prints and Activities for Kids   (contributed by The Children's Cancer Center in New Jersey)

The Sky at Night from your Patio  (contributed by Barbara Goodspeed's kids)

Best Educational Space Games and Resources   (contributed by Katie Hylton)

Some very interesting space websites for kids   (contributed by Mary and Susan)

StarDate (Northern Hemisphere based)

Arty the Part-Time Astronaut

Sleeping under stars and planets   (contributed by Payton Bass and Mrs Michelle Bass)

Space Place Games 

NASA's website for primary school kids 

NASA's website for older students - LIFT OFF

Solar Eclipses and Observational Astronomy   (contributed by Amelia and Carol)

StarChild – a Learning Centre for young astronomers, produced by NASA 

 

Top

 

TRANSIENT  PHENOMENA  (COMETS,  ECLIPSES,  ETC.)

Atmospheric Optical Effects explained

List of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids 

Observable Comets  

Comets currently visible

Pictures of current Comets 

Comet Shoemaker-Levy collision with Jupiter (has links)

International Astronomical Union - Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams

Minor Planet Centre

Satellites Currently Visible 

Solar Eclipses and Observational Astronomy   (contributed by Amelia and Carol)

Earth and Moon Viewer  

Comet Bennett, visible in 1970

 

Top

 

THE SUN

Sunspots, solar flares, aurorae 

Daily Sunspot Summaries

Current Solar Images  

Recent Solar Events  

Farside images of the Sun from SWAN  

Farside images of the Sun from MDI 

Solar and Heliospheric Observatory - real-time and archival images of the Sun from SOHO 

The Latest SOHO Coronagraph Images 

The Sun from Earth (from Big Bear Solar Observatory) 

What is the Interplanetary Magnetic Field? 

Anatomy of Earth's Magnetosphere 

Real-time Solar Wind Data 

More Real-time Solar Wind Data 

Aurora Forecast (Northern Hemisphere) 

Daily Solar Flare and Sunspot Data Lists of Coronal Mass Ejections from 1998 to 2001 

Real-time monitoring and forecasting of outbursts on the Sun and their effect on us 

 

Top

 

NEWS

Universe Today 

Australian Weather Forecast Today  

Recent International Astronomical Union Circulars

 

Top

 

MISCELLANEOUS ASTRONOMICAL WEB SITES

All about Light Pollution

Amazing Space

Ancient Observatories as seen from space

Astronomy Picture of the Day - includes a library of astronomical pictures

Atomic Time Inc. (clocks connected to atomic clocks by radio)

Backyard Astronomy - a Guide for Homeowners and Families

Earth and Moon Viewer 

Infrared Astronomy 

Messier Object List

New General Catalogue (NGC) - images of all objects

SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Australia 

Solar System Live (interactive orrery)

Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) mission 

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) 

Space Magnificent  

The Space Science Institute

The Universe Collection (meteorites etc. for sale) 

Views of the Solar System 

The Weather Warehouse 

Welcome to the Planets 

Windows to the Universe

Your Sky (interactive planetarium)

 

Top

 

ASTRONOMICAL WEBLINKS

Australian Astronomical Web Servers 

Australian Astronomical Links  

Astronomical Links Worth Visiting




Top

 

SATELLITE  OBSERVING  AND  IDENTIFICATION 

How and when to observe artificial satellites and space craft 

Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page 

Photographing Satellites  

What is an Iridium flare?

Iridium flashing satellites 

Iridium satellites 

NASA's predictions for Shuttle and Space Station overpasses at your site

Current position of the Space Shuttle shown on a 3D globe

Current position of the International Space Station shown on a 3D globe 

Orbits of major satellites (including Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope,

Chandra, Starshine 3 etc.) shown on a flat map of the world 

Cooperative Satellite Learning Project

 

Top

 

CONSTELLATION  PICTURES

The Akura Fujii Collection of Constellation Pictures

 Astrophotography at Fotosearch

 

Top

 

AUSTRALIAN  TELESCOPE  ASTROPHOTOGRAPHS

From the Australian Astronomical Telescope (AAT) - David Malin Collection

 

Top

 

ASTRONOMICAL  SOFTWARE

ARC Science Simulations

Astro Tips

CapellaSoft (PCSky etc.)  

Celestia real-time 3D space simulator

PCSky (realistic sky simulations)

Starry Night Astronomical Software

Software Bisque

‘The Sky' 


   
Top

 

FREE  ASTRONOMICAL  SOFTWARE  FOR  DOWNLOADING

Calsky - tells where planets and moons are, and what they look like on any date

Cartes du Ciel Sky Charts 

Celestia real-time 3D space simulator

Google Earth - find your own home on satellite images of the Earth

Google Maps

Moon Google - views of the sites of the manned lunar landings

HALLO Northern Sky Planetarium

Moon map, with names of features

Virtual Moon Atlas - detailed photographs of the whole Moon from lunar orbiters, can be rotated and zoomed in, close to the surface

Stellarium

 

Top



SATELLITES, SPACECRAFT AND SPACE EXPLORATION

Ames Research Centre 

Goddard Space Flight Centre

 Cassini Mission to Saturn 

Mars Global Surveyor 

Exploration of the Earth's Magnetosphere 

Exploring the Sun - SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) 

From Stargazers to Starships 

GENESIS mission 

Hubble Space Telescope  

Hubble Space Telescope News Centre 

Imagine the Universe

International Space Station Technology Guide

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)  

Johnson Space Centre 

J-Track Satellite Tracking

Kennedy Space Centre

Kennedy Space Centre Space Station Launch Site Home Page  

Kennedy Space Centre Video Feeds 

Langley Research Centre 

Live from the Sun   

Mars Exploration Rover Mission (including the roving vehicles Spirit and Opportunity)

NASA - home page

NASA - news 

NASA's Photo Gallery 

NASA live TV feed

NASA Human Spaceflight (International Space Station and Space Shuttle)

NASA - about astronauts

NASA - Space Shuttle

NASA International Space Station

NASA's 'Quest' Project 

NASA's Spacelink 

NSSDC Photo Gallery (planets etc.) 

Planetary Photojournal (high resolution images of the planets) 

NASA's missions to asteroids and comets 

Solar Flares 

Space Place 

SpaceX Starship Development  (live camera showing testing and launches at the Boca Chica site in Texas)

Stardust mission 

The Challenger Centre 

Vandenberg Air Force Base missile launch schedule

Welcome to the Planets



Top



AUSTRALIAN  SPACE  CRAFT 

Woomera Rocket Range, Australia

 

Top

 

OBSERVATORIES    PRIVATELY  OWNED

How to build a home observatory in your garden

Astrophotography by Brad Moore, Victoria, Australia (RCOS + Paramount ME + SBIG + WO apo) 

Gilgandra Observatory

Grove Creek Observatory (65 km south of Bathurst NSW, has Anssen mount)

Magellan Observatory and farm stays

Maidenwell Astronomical Observatory (west of Yarraman, Qld.)

"Southern Sky" Observatory  

"Southern Sky" Observatory astronomical photographs 

Skywatch Observatory

Twinstar Guesthouse and Observatory (at Ballandean, near Stanthorpe, Qld.) 

 


 
   
Top

 

The Parkes Radio Telescope, New South Wales

 

AUSTRALIAN   OBSERVATORIES –  PUBLIC

Australian Astronomical Observatory (Anglo-Australian Telescope and U.K. Schmidt)

Australian Astronomical Observatory colour photographs

Mopra Radio Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW

Australia Telescope National Facility 

Australia's GEMINI Public Information Page

Ballaarat Municipal Observatory  

Canberra Space Centre

Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, Tidbinbilla, ACT

CSIRO Australia Online 

Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories (Australian National University)

Mount Stromlo Observatory Home Page 

Nepean Observatory - University of Western Sydney 

Parkes Observatory and Parkes Radio Telescope Home Page 

Parkes Radio Telescope's Support for the Apollo 11 mission 

Parkes Observatory Visitors' Centre, NSW  

Perth Observatory

Sydney Observatory  

UK Schmidt Telescope at Siding Spring, NSW 

The 3.9 metre Anglo-Australian Telescope near Coonabarabran, NSW



Top

 

FOREIGN  OBSERVATORIES  –  PUBLIC  

Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory

The Gemini Observatory

W. M. Keck Observatory, Hawaii

Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Hawaii

Subaru Telescope, Hawaii

Mount Wilson Observatory, California USA

Mount Wilson Observatory Tour

Palomar Observatory (Caltech) 

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

United States Naval Observatory


   
Top

 

ROBOTIC TELESCOPES

 Powerhouse Museum's Robotic Telescope, Sydney, NSW 

Robotics Education Project (NASA) 

Telescopes in Education (TIE - use of robotic telescopes by school students)

Telescopes in Education (list of schools using the 24 inch robotic telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory

(California, USA)

 

Top



PLANETARIUMS,  SCIENCE  MUSEUMS,  ETC.

Powerhouse Museum, Sydney NSW

National Air and Space Museum  (Smithsonian Institution)

Topographic Maps and Images for places of interest in the USA

Wollongong Science Centre and Planetarium  (NSW's largest planetarium)


   
Top

 

ASTRONOMICAL STUDIES

Astronomy at Macquarie University

Nepean Astronomy Centre - University of Western Sydney

Swinburne Astrophysics and Supercomputing Centre, Melbourne, VIC.

Telescopes in Education (USA)

 

Top

 


BUYER'S  GUIDE  AND  ADVICE 

Astronomical Cameras - a Guide to Astrophotography  (contributed by Katey)

Buying your first telescope in Australia

Buyer’s Guide for Beginners  (from "Astronomy" magazine) 

Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews and Advice

Equipment Reviews 

Scanning of colour images

 

Top



EQUIPMENT  MANUFACTURERS

Apogee Instruments 

Astrola Telescope Mirrors

Astro-Physics Refractors

Celestron Telescopes 

DFM Engineering (professional observatory telescopes) 

Jim's Mobile Inc. (large Newtonian reflectors) 

Lisaa CCD Imaging 

Losmandy Equatorial Mounts 

Meade Instruments Corporation 

Obsession Telescopes (large Dobsonians)

Optical Guidance Systems (Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes) 

Orion Telescopes and Binoculars 

Paramount telescope mounts 

Questar Corporation (small, high quality Maksutovs) 

Santa Barbara Instruments Group (SBIG) 

Starlight Xpress 

Taurus Technologies (astrocamera accessories and tracking aids) 

TeleVue Optics (telescopes, eyepieces etc.)   

Astrodomes (fibre-glass domed observatories made in Yandina, Qld) 

Sirius Observatories (fibre-glass domes and observatories made in Redcliffe, Qld) 

Starlab Portable Planetariums  

 

Top



EQUIPMENT RETAILERS

Adirondack Video Astronomy

Advanced Telescope Supplies, Engadine, NSW

Astronomy & Electronics Centre (Takahashi agents), Cleve, S.A. 

Astro Optical Supplies Pty Ltd, Sydney, NSW 

Binocular and Telescope Service Centre

Celestron Australia 

Company Seven (Astro-Optics Division)

  OZScopes - Australian Dealer in Telescopes and Binoculars

Sirius Optics, Brisbane

Tasco Optical (telescopes and binoculars)  

Telescopes and Astronomy (Adelaide, S.A.)

The Binocular and Telescope Shop, Sydney, NSW

York Optical Products, Sydney, NSW



Top



ASTRONOMICAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES 

Astronomy Village

Classroom Space (projects for students aged 11 to 16 years)  

Education activities at the Hubble Space Telescope 

MMI Corporation (educational materials)

Practical Uses of Maths and Science (PUMAS) - (links to over 20 examples for teaching maths and science) 

Star Class Astronomy Education  

StarChild – a Learning Centre for young astronomers, produced by NASA 

Telescopes in Education Project 

The Earth Science Educator (by NASA) 

Windows to the Universe


 
                                                                                                 
Top

 

BOOKS AND MAGAZINES ON-LINE

"Astronomy” Magazine (American)  

“New Scientist” News Page (British)  

"New Scientist" - weblinks  

"Night Sky" (American, for beginning stargazers) 

"Sky and Telescope" Magazine (American)

"Australian Sky and Telescope" Magazine

"Southern Sky" magazine (Australian)


   
Top

 

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES 

Astronomical Society of Australia

Astronomical Association of Queensland

Astronomical Society of Melbourne

Astronomical Society of New South Wales

Astronomical Society of Victoria

Brisbane Astronomical Society

National Space Society of Australia

Newcastle Astronomical Society

Southern Astronomical Society 

South-east Queensland Astronomical Society 

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific

 



Observatory Home Page and Index                         Top