Under the Stars – Picking Up Where We Left Off

After a bit of a hiatus, Outback Astronomy is excited to return to sharing insights, updates, and stargazing magic with our community. We are now full throttle ahead, under the stars, sharing our night skies with you.

It’s been a journey of advocacy and perseverance since 2022, while we worked to protect our skies and surroundings from a nearby development, and now we’re back to doing what we love most: creating unforgettable stargazing experiences in Broken Hill.

And the weather ahead appears to be compatible – so start planning your road trip now!

Summer Weather Outlook

Stargazing will be spectacular with warm weather and mostly clear skies across the coming months in our area.

The weather outlook is for drier times in Broken Hill. Weather models indicated, as at mid November 2024, that it will be absolutely great for gazing this summer. See the climate driver updates as published here, updated regularly by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). It’s a great idea to check in with the BOM from time to time for your home area and also if you are planning a road trip through Broken Hill. So please do drop in for some stargazing and, from January 2025, we will have our café open for cool drinks and coffee, scones and sandwiches.

Our fabulous PLUS foods offered during the stargazing events can also be snacked upon during the daytime once the café opens. Keep a watch out for the Sky Dome Café messages in the coming weeks and months.

Where We Left Off: Stargazing Highlights from the Past Year

Our last series of blogs took readers on a celestial journey, exploring everything from finding the famous star Sirius in summer skies to our “Sky Tonight” show, where the Moon serves as both guide and highlight for curious stargazers. We shared tips on using simple tools, like binoculars, to explore the stars, and launched a loyalty program encouraging locals to join us under the night sky with friends from out of town. These stories reflected our passion for making stargazing accessible, inspiring, and memorable for everyone who comes our way.

We also posted a piece on “Why is the Dog Upside Down?” — a playful take on locating Canis Major, the iconic “dog” constellation in the southern sky, and a nod to all the dog owners who attend with their beloved canine companions. Incidentally, Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, is visible in the early evenings over the next few months until it rises high overhead! It certainly is a beacon – brightly popping as it emerges above the low hills along our eastern horizon. It was stunning as it emerged the last few nights and it will be fabulous to watch as it rises again tonight. Lucky guests!

It is our goal to make astronomy approachable, providing fun and informative content for newcomers and seasoned stargazers alike. But then, an unexpected challenge arose that took much of our time and energy.

Recap – Our Battle to Preserve Our Dark Skies and Tranquil Surroundings

As many of our followers know, Outback Astronomy has spent the past few years defending our dark skies and quiet surroundings against Hydrostor’s Silver City Energy Storage project proposed to be built across the road from us. This proposed power station is not a clean energy initiative. It is a net greenhouse gas emitter, as is obvious in its environmental impact statement lodged with NSW Planning. Additionally, its potential noise, lighting, dust, traffic and other impacts raised many concerns for Outback Astronomy.

As part of our advocacy, we urged NSW Planning to follow the Dark Sky Planning Guideline to mitigate artificial lighting impacts. This guideline aims to preserve the natural night sky.

In our efforts to protect this beloved stargazing environment, we advocated for safeguards in several other areas beyond the serious light pollution risks. We raised concerns about increased noise that could disrupt the tranquillity of the area—a factor that many of our guests seek and appreciate. Outback Astronomy also sought assurances that high traffic levels expected from construction and operational phases would be managed thoughtfully to minimise disruption for both residents and visitors to Broken Hill. We highlighted the potential strain on limited local accommodation by the projected incoming construction workforce, as increased demand could impact the availability of lodgings for travellers looking to enjoy stargazing experiences.

We hope NSW Planning will carefully weigh all issues to find a fair and balanced outcome that protects our stargazing business, the local community and the natural beauty of our region.

With the formal submission process now complete, and a decision from NSW Planning still pending, Outback Astronomy has done all it can to protect the night skies and peaceful environment our guests enjoy. We’re more dedicated than ever to sharing the wonders of the universe with travellers, families, and astronomy enthusiasts from all over.

The reminders of this project planning process will continue to linger for some time, years in fact. For example, when we text guests on the day of their experience, to provide information about the eventing’s temperature, arrival time and so on, we will continue to provide this cautionary reminder – “Accept our apologies for fading signage. There is a nearby power station before NSW Planning creating great uncertainty for us.” There remain visible impacts and reminders all about us to highlight the worry and the uncertainties we have faced. More examples:

• Long delays to building renovations
• Unfinished restoration works after some infrastructure improvements
• Some yard works, irrigation improvements not yet commenced
• Café reopening more than a year late
• Additional fencing works
• Car parking area improvements
• Capital works in accommodation, caretaker’s cottage and more

It is not possible to quickly convey how disruptive and uncertain the last three years have been.

Now, however, we are back to work to pick up where we left off, hoping that our concerns will be treated with seriousness by the authorities in government.

What’s Next for Outback Astronomy?

As we welcome a fresh season of stargazing, we’re thrilled to announce a packed schedule for the months ahead, including new planet viewing events, the popular Hang out with the Stars® sky show, and other curated experiences under the outback sky. Expect some new offerings as well as our classic tours, each designed to connect you with the stars, constellations, and planets above. Moon Gazing and Sausage Sizzles will make a comeback during 2025, as will our day time café which will reopen during January 2025. The sausage sizzles will take on new meaning as we will make our own flavoursome sausages in our commercial kitchen, next to the stargazing area.

Sign up for Outback Astronomy’s monthly newsletter to stay up to date.

Whether you’re a regular visitor or new to the experience, we invite you to join us for some unforgettable nights in Broken Hill. For more details on our journey back and our commitment to the skies and tranquillity of the region, check out our recent article: Outback Astronomy Returns Full Focus to Stargazing After a Year of Unexpected Battles.

Keep a watch out for our monthly newsletter during 2025 to stay up to date.

Outback Astronomy is back in full swing, ready to welcome you back to our universe of delightful starry skies.

Image below: Location of Broken Hill, NSW.