We are pleased to announce the addition of a new Slooh observatory in Siding Spring - the astronomy capital of Australia!
Alongside the existing Canary Islands and Chile observatories, the new Australian observatory will provide students and members with 24-hour live coverage of the night sky. Construction of a new dome is already underway at the Southern Robotic Observatory Facility (SROF), and we plan to launch the new observatory in the Fall. The dome will house Slooh's new premier southern hemisphere telescope - a PlaneWave CDK20 Half Meter telescope equipped with a scientific-grade CCD camera. It will be the twin of Slooh's northern hemisphere Half Meter telescope at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands.
Nestled in the heart of the Warrambungle Dark Sky Park, the SROF site already hosts several research and robotic observatories. The location enjoys what are considered the best skies in Australia, the status of which was recently placed into law as part of the recognition of the significance of the location for its scientific value and natural beauty.
The world-class observing site offers protected dark skies, superb seeing conditions, and 70% clear nights annually.
To learn more about the Slooh Australia Observatory and the new telescope that members will control, see our guide here: A Guide to the Australia Observatory
And check out the location of the New Australia Telescope below: