Chapter 3

Astronomical Society of Victoria, Inc. (ASV)
PO Box 1059J
Melbourne, Vic. 3001
Phone: (03) 9888 7130
www.asv.org.au

The ASV has been a great resource to the people of Victoria since 1922. Its website includes the rising and setting times of the naked eye planets, Sun and Moon. Its ‘Astronomy for the People’ program sees large portable telescopes being taken to schools and parks for displaying the wonders of the heavens.

The yearbook can be purchased for $20 (including postage) from the ASV by request along with a cheque made out to the secretary of the ASV, Inc. at the address opposite.

Melbourne Planetarium (Scienceworks Museum)
2 Booker St
Spotswood, Vic. 3015
Phone: (03) 9392 4800
www.scienceworks.museum.vic.gov.au
The Melbourne Planetarium offers night sky simulations to large groups of students. A number of different programs are offered for a wide range of ages. A number of classes can be catered for at one time. Bookings are essential.

Discovery Science and Technology Centre
76 Violet Street
Bendigo, Vic. 3550
Phone: (03) 5443 8255
Email (bookings): reservations@bendigo.net.au
www.discovery.asn.au

This centre offers a range of valuable programs, including ‘Discovery Sleepovers’. Teacher support material is available. Bookings are essential.

Starlab Planetariums
1/41 Power St
Williamstown, Vic. 3016
Phone: (03) 9399 9089
Email: starlab@labyrinth.net.au

Starlab planetariums are mobile inflatable units that make school visits presenting night sky simulations. Up to 30 students can be catered for in a single 45-minute presentation.

www.skymaps.com
An excellent source for charts of the sky. It is produced in South Australia. A new chart is produced for every month and includes a second page of information on the most interesting objects in the chart. Make sure you download the southern hemisphere sky chart and not that for the northern hemisphere.

www.heavens-above.com
This site allows you to track satellites, the space station, Hubble Space Telescope and other objects of interest that will be visible over your suburb or town. You need to select your position from a worldwide list provided. The iridium satellites can outshine Venus at the moment of maximum flare and are impressive.

www.space.com
A site containing all the latest news and information on current astronomical and space events. Regularly features items of interest to students.

www.nasa.gov
The NASA home page, with the most comprehensive material on space, progress of NASA probes, space news and astronomy.

www.nineplanets.org
A multimedia tour of the solar system with lots of information and pictures on all objects. If the Solar system body you’re searching for is not covered here then it probably doesn’t exist.