Cosmos Centre, Charleville: Stargazing tours & show prices

The Cosmos Centre in Charleville, Queensland, offers daytime astronomy shows and after-dark astronomy experiences.

Most people come to the outback for wide open spaces, but some outback towns have a few surprisingly strong attractions. A case in point is the Cosmos Centre in Charleville, Queensland. This attraction is devoted to all things astronomy and offers a range of experiences, both during the day time and after dark.

Charleville Cosmos Centre daytime experiences

The Astronomy by Day experience uses virtual reality, holograms and a theatre to look at the solar system, shooting stars and space junk. Entry to this section is free.

Another key element of the Charleville Cosmos Centre is the Astro Dome, where daily shows are projected across the dome. The Birth of Planet Earth show at 13.30 looks at how our planet came to be, while Beyond the Sun at 15.30 is about distant stars and far-off exoplanets. Both last 35 minutes and cost $10.

Sun viewing in Charleville

There’s also a sun viewing session, which takes place at 14.15 and 15.15 every day between April and October. This experience uses a hydrogen alpha sun telescope to look at the sun, and you can even take photos using your mobile phone. Guests also get to look at the sun using special eclipse glasses.

The sun viewing experience at the Cosmos Centre, Charleville, costs $22.50.

Charleville Cosmos Centre stargazing tours

The most popular tour at the Charleville Cosmos Centre, however, is the Big Sky Observatory experience. This takes place at 18.00, 19.30 and 21.00 between April and October, then nightly at 20.30 for the rest of the year.

This hour-long stargazing experience takes advantage of the clear night skies around Charleville to look at the heavens through powerful telescopes. Guides are on hand to let you know what you’re looking at, point out the Milky Way and more distant galaxies. Tickets cost $35.

The Cosmos Centre is about 3km out of Charleville on the Mitchell Highway. Parking is free.

Visit the attraction’s website for more information.