While the landscape of the Blue Mountains is a stunning source of wonder during the day, there is plenty to be seen at night if you turn your eyes to the sky from the right location. The Blue Mountains has the benefit of areas away from the light pollution of the towns where the lights of the sky can be seen brightly.
Locals and visitors to the mountains alike will love an evening spent with Blue Mountains Stargazing!
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Blue Mountains Stargazing Tours
This popular Blue Mountains tour has been running stargazing tours with an astronomer since July 2020. With several astronomers on rotation they have an expanding repertoire of tours on offer featuring partnerships with other Blue Mountains businesses. This includes a stargazing, maybe it should be stargrazing, dinner under a dome at The Bunker in Leura and a wine tasting at Megalong Valley’s Dryridge Estate. For the budding astro-photographers there’s something for you too, with nightscape workshops with resident photographer Tom.
I was lucky enough to attend the Stargazing Tour with Nathan recently during a lucky perfectly clear evening between weeks of rain. We kicked off at Wentworth Falls at 8.30pm, just as the last rays of the sun were sinking behind the mountains across the Jamison Valley.
In a lovely touch of comfort the seating areas at the lookout had been covered in blankets, and there were more blankets on offer in the event the evening turned cold.
As the guests gathered round Nathan opened with an acknowledgement of country, talked about about the tour and the things he hoped we would be able to see that night.
Nathan brought out probably the most powerful laser pointer most of us will ever see, telling us it has a range of a couple of kilometres and requires a license for use. It is an effective means of showcasing the constellations through the sky. He points out the Southern Cross, showing us also the stars often mistaken as the Southern Cross and the pointers that are used to find South with it. He switches off the laser as a jet flies far overhead.
It’s not too far into the experience that mugs are brought around containing a delicious hot chocolate made with Oat Milk. The warm and creamy drink is a lovely touch especially on a cold evening.
What You’ll see on a Blue Mountains Stargazing Tour
On any given night what is visible will be dependent upon the time of year. While the Milky Way is best viewed during winter in Australia there is still plenty to be offered up by the sky.
The Stargazing Tour features a powerful telescope which participants can take turns looking through at whatever is visible in the night sky. On my tour we got a close look at Jupiter and The Pleiades, which are a cluster of more than 1000 stars that appear faintly blue in colour and is one of the nearest star clusters to Earth.
Where to find your Blue Mountains Stargazing Tour
Upon making your booking you will receive a confirmation email with the specific details of where to meet for your tour. The tour occurs at a location in Wentworth Falls.
How to get to your Blue Mountains Stargazing Tour
The best way to get there is by car, as it would be approximately a 4km walk from the local train station. The tour occurs an easy, short and flat walk from the carpark which will be lit by the organisers.
Alternatively, they also offer a Twilight Tour which will include pickup from Sydney CBD and a short bushwalk, returning to the city around 9.30pm.
When are Blue Mountains Stargazing Tours conducted?
Provided the conditions allow, Stargazing Tours run on weekends and some weeknights. There are two timeslots on Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30 and 9pm.
What if my Stargazing Tour is Cancelled?
We all know the weather can be a fickle beast, and in the event of heavy cloud there isn’t much that is able to be seen in the sky.
In the event of overcast weather on the day of your booking, you will receive an email offering you two options for your tour. You can either opt to receive a credit to reschedule, or a 90 minute indoor Planetarium tour in Leura.
How Much will my Stargazing Tour cost?
The basic Stargazing Tour will cost $85 per adult and $55 per child, with family packages also on offer for discounted rates.
The Planetarium Tour is the same rate while the experiences start at $135 per adult.
Should I take a Blue Mountains Stargazing Tour?
If you are at all interested in the night sky, or even just in a different experience of the Blue Mountains the Stargazing Tour is well worth putting on your radar! These guys really go the extra mile to make this a great experience for participants, and its the extra touches like the blankets and hot chocolate that give this experience a really nice finish. Unless you have your own telescope at home it’s also a fun opportunity to check out some of the features of the sky you wouldn’t normally get to see, as well as learning about the sky directly from the experts!
If Astrophotography is your thing bring your camera along for some snapping opportunities after the tour, or check out some of my other locations for Astro in my Best Spots for Photography.