Parkes Visitors Discovery Centre
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- 2009 is the year to visit the Dish.
We will be celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, the 400th anniversary since Galileo used his first telescope, the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre and the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in which the Parkes Radio Telescope played a crucial role.
The Biannual Open Day on July the 18th and 19th 2009 was the focus point for the celebrations and brought well over 6500 people to the site.
Activities included tours of the inside of the radio telescope not available at any other time of the year, helicopter rides circling the local countryside and the Dish, jumping castle, displays and stalls.
The Visitors Discovery centre is an interactive exhibition centre with 2 cinemas including 3D movies of 'Mission to Mars' and the 'Incredible Universe', The Dish movie memorabilia, displays and footage of the Apollo 11 mission and a small scale automated Dish.
The outdoor displays include a 'whispering dish', Newton's apple tree and the old focus cabin.You can check out the Visitors Discovery Centre and the Parkes Radio Telescope.
Check out their real time webcam for a view of the radio telescope right now.
- Parkes Radio Telescope
- 473 Telescope Road (PO BOX 276)
- Parkes NSW 2870
- Australia.
- 02 6861 1700
- fax 02 6861 1730
- Visitor's Discovery Centre: 02 6861 1777