It may not be the darkest sky given you’re right in the city, but it's got powerful and historic equipment, including the oldest working telescope in Australia. Head up to the hill for a starry experience unlike any other in the centre of Sydney.
Witness the wonders of the cosmos from these dark-sky locations just beyond the city
On clear nights, you may be able to spot a few stars in central Sydney, but like most big cities, light pollution will keep the full celestial wonders of the night sky obscured. Fortunately, you don't have to travel very far out of the city to improve your view. Here, we have created a list of the six best spots for stargazing in, and near Sydney. So, grab your crew, your binoculars and a zest for starry-eyed adventuring. It's time to look up.
It may not be the darkest sky given you’re right in the city, but it's got powerful and historic equipment, including the oldest working telescope in Australia. Head up to the hill for a starry experience unlike any other in the centre of Sydney.
Royal National Park is only a 54-minute drive south of Sydney CBD, and travel experts ranked it as the very best place for stargazing in all of Australia – partly due to its low levels of air and light pollution.
Drive for an hour and a half and you're well out of the concrete jungle. Because the Blue Mountains are just out of the way from the big city, there is barely any light pollution, providing for jaw-dropping night-sky vantage points. There are even tour operators that specialise in stargazing tours so you can revel, and learn at the same time.
Airports tend to be isolated and have minimal lights on at night, so they're great places for checking out the stars. The best spots are the areas of the airport where golf courses come up to the boundary fence.
Mangrove Mountain is a great spot to check out the stars if you aren't looking to travel too far out of the city itself. It’s an hour and a half from the CBD, inland from the Central Coast near Peats Ridge, with the viewing benefits of altitude.
Located 45 minutes north of the CBD, this is one of the closest stargazing spots to the city you’re going to find. The football oval on the edge of the national park is a great place to start. You’ll have no problem spotting Orion, which will help lead you to other constellations.
Viewing nights take place here through the Northern Sydney Astronomical Society on the Saturdays before and after the new moon. Visitors are invited to at least one viewing night every month.
Set on the fringes of Wollemi National Park in the Blue Mountains, this dark sky sanctuary is the pride and joy of the Astronomical Society of NSW. They usually hold several stargazing sessions on suitable weekends throughout the year. If you're interested in joining their starry crew, you can try by clicking right here.
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