Welcome to the Astronomical Society of Victoria
The Society is based in Melbourne, Australia and includes city and country members, as well some in other states and overseas. It attracts people with a wide range of astronomical interests, ages, abilities and experience. Originally founded in 1922, it is the largest such organisation in the southern hemisphere.
Membership is open to all with an interest in astronomy.
Astronomy for the people
Astronomy for the People is an ASV service providing telescopes for schools and public demonstrations. Image by David RolfeMore Info
Membership
Anyone with an interest in astronomy can join the Society. Membership gives you access to the loan telescope program, ASV meetings and our pristine dark sky property.Join now
Image Gallery
View astronomical images taken by members of the ASV - everything from the moon and planets to nebula and far away galaxies.View images
Astrophotography
Our Astrophotography section meets regularly at ASV lodge and has monthly field trips to our dark sky site. The section is very active and new members are always welcome. Read more
The Great Melbourne Telescope Restoration Project
Here's a link to a story by Liz Clarkson with a number of images of ASV members hard at work in restoring the Great Melbourne Telescope. It gives a little bit of history and outlines the aims and current status of the project to bring this telescope back to Melbourne Observatory, in a working condition for members of the public to look through. It was once the largest steerable telescope in the world back in the late 1880s.
Events 
The ASV runs a large number of events to cater for a broad range of astronomy related interests. Check the website on a regular basis for the latest updates. The next 14 events are listed below - view the calendar page for a full listing of planned events.
Sat 21 January
Instrument Making Section
2.00pm - 5.00pm
Location: ASV Lodge
For further information contact Section Director: Mark Justice
Sat 21 January - Sun 22 January
Dark Sky Night (members only)
6.00pm Sat 21-Jan - 8.00am Sun 22-Jan
Location: LMDSS
Please note that Dark Sky Nights are not an organized event and the criteria for these nights are as follows:-
- is a Saturday night
- has at least two hours dark sky, (that is after Sunset and when twilight ends, and also prior to Sunrise and before twilight starts)
- dark sky is calculated from the times of Astronomical Twilight
- dark sky must start before midnight (or before 0100 Sunday during Australian Eastern Daylight Time
Remember to obtain the gate/clubhouse codes from the ASV webpage
Wed 25 January
Council
7.45pm - 10.15pm
ASV Council meeting
Location: ASV Lodge
Thu 26 January
Australia Day public holiday
Fri 27 January
Club Section
8.00pm - 11.00pm
Club Section meetings are informal and take place on the first and last Friday of the month (public holidays excepted) between 8:00 – 11:00pm at the ASV Lodge.
Come along for a chat, all members welcome.
Sat 28 January - Sun 29 January
Dark Sky Night (members only)
6.00pm Sat 28-Jan - 8.00am Sun 29-Jan
Location: LMDSS
Please note that Dark Sky Nights are not an organized event and the criteria for these nights are as follows:-
- is a Saturday night
- has at least two hours dark sky, (that is after Sunset and when twilight ends, and also prior to Sunrise and before twilight starts)
- dark sky is calculated from the times of Astronomical Twilight
- dark sky must start before midnight (or before 0100 Sunday during Australian Eastern Daylight Time
Remember to obtain the gate/clubhouse codes from the ASV webpage
Sat 28 January - Sun 29 January
Deep Sky Section meeting
6.00pm Sat 28-Jan - 8.00am Sun 29-Jan
Location: LMDSS
For further information, contact Section Director: Paul Gardiner
Sun 29 January
Historical Section meeting
1.00pm - 4.00pm
Location: ASV Lodge
For further information, contact Section Director: Rod Brown
Sun 29 January
ASV Library (Members Only)
2.00pm - 4.00pm
Location: Observatory Gate, Birdwood Ave., Melbourne
The Library is open at the following times:
+ Monthly Meeting - before 6.00 to 7.45pm and after from approx. 10:00 to 10:45pm
+ Members' Night - from 7pm to 7:50pm
+ Last Sunday of month - 2pm to 4pm
The Library is now in the old Government Astronomers’ Office which is in the north west corner of the main building at Melbourne Observatory.
There are currently a large number of books and magazines, surplus to the Library’s needs, for sale. The sale is on-going whenever the Library is open.
For further information contact Barry Cleland
Wed 1 February
Cosmology and Astro-Physics Section Meeting
8.00pm - 10.30pm
Discuss current news in Cosmology and Astro-Physics
Main topic for discussion: “Dark Matter vs MOND”
“All Welcome – Bring an Open Mind”
Contact: Ross Berner
Mobile: 0403 167 004
Email: cosmology@asv.net.au
Fri 3 February
Club Section
8.00pm - 11.00pm
Club Section meetings are informal and take place on the first and last Friday of the month (public holidays excepted) between 8:00 – 11:00pm at the ASV Lodge.
Come along for a chat, all members welcome.
Mon 6 February
Computing Section
8.00pm - 10.00pm
For further information contact Section Director: Craig Boyd
Location: ASV Lodge
Wed 8 February
Library (Members Only)
6.30pm - 7.45pm
Location: Observatory Gate, Birdswood Ave, Melbourne
The Library is open at the following times:
+ Monthly Meeting - before 6.30 to 7.45pm and after from approx. 10:00 to 10:45pm
+ Members' Night - from 7pm to 7:50pm
+ Last Sunday of month - 2pm to 4pm
The Library is now in the old Government Astronomers’ Office which is in the north west corner of the main building at Melbourne Observatory.
There are currently a large number of books and magazines, surplus to the Library’s needs, for sale. The sale is on-going whenever the Library is open.
For further information contact Barry Cleland
Wed 8 February
ASV Monthly meeting
8.00pm - 10.00pm
Location: Mueller Auditorium, National Herbarium, Birdwood Ave., Melbourne
Topic: Dark Matter
Speaker: Dr Katie Mack, University of Melbourne
Dr Katherine (Katie) Mack is a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Melbourne. In her research, she finds new ways to learn about the early universe and fundamental physics using astronomical observations, probing the very building blocks of nature by examining the cosmos on the largest scales. During her education and research career at Caltech, Princeton, Cambridge and Melbourne, she has been working on the interface between astronomy and particle physics, studying dark matter, black holes, cosmic strings, and the formation of the first galaxies in the Universe.
All are welcome. There is no cost and supper is provided. Looking forward to seeing you there.
More events: Calendar