• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

Subscribe for Email Updates

logo

Providing printables, encouragement, tips and resources to help busy mums balance homeschooling, homemaking and frugal living.

  • Craft
  • Faith
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
  • Homeschooling
    • Free Printables
    • Google Slides ~ How To | Distance Learning
    • Printables By Grade
    • Printables By Subject
  • Homemaking
    • DIY & Frugal Living
  • Wellness
    • Essential Oils

Mobile Menu

  • Craft
  • Faith
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
  • Homeschooling
    • Free Printables
    • Google Slides ~ How To | Distance Learning
    • Printables By Grade
    • Printables By Subject
  • Homemaking
    • DIY & Frugal Living
  • Wellness
    • Essential Oils

‘The Dish’ at Parkes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure policy.
  • Share
  • Tweet

While on our way to pick up our caravan from Melbourne, we stopped in at The CSIRO radio telescope, otherwise known as ‘The Dish’ that is situated 20km north of the NSW town of Parkes.

The Dish

The Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre has free admission and is a great place to watch the dish move. While we were there, we were able to see the Dish move twice: once on arrival and once as we were about to leave.

In the Observatory there are many exhibits about the history of the Dish as well as the interactive displays and astronomy resources.

There is also the Dish Café, where you can have a bite to eat and take in the view, though we didn’t try this out.

Though it was cold and slightly wet, we still enjoyed our time at The Dish.

Learn more about The Dish.

  • Built between 1859 and 1961
  • One of the first radio telescopes built in the shape of a dish
  • The land was purchased from Aussie sheep farmer, Australia ‘Austie’ Helm (Austie got the name due to being born on a special wartime Australia Day, July 1915)
  • Has a diameter of 64 metres
  • In operated 24 hours a day
  • One of several radio antennas used to receive live, televised images of the Apollo 11 moon landing on the 20th July 1969
  • The moving part of the telescope weighs 1000 tonnes, is not fixed to the tower. It is weighed down by its own weight
  • It takes 15 minutes to do a full 360 degree rotation
  • The 2000 Australian movie, ‘The Dish’ tells a fictionalized version of the Parkes Observatory’s role in relaying man’s first steps on the moon in 1969

 

To find out more about the CSIRO Radio Telescope:

Australian Telescope National Facility

Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre is open

  • 7 days a week from 8.30am to 4.15pm (including public holidays)
  • Extended hours during New South Wales school holidays 
  • Closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day

 

The Dish 1

  • Share
  • Tweet

Category: Family Life, TravellingTag: Travel

Love Free Printables?

Subscribe to receive weekly emails!

Previous Post: « Monday Memory Verse: Hebrews 10:23
Next Post: Indoor Golf Fun »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Come and Join Us

Support My Work

Love Free Printables?

Subscribe to receive weekly emails!

Categories

AMAZON ASSOCIATES DISCLOSURE

Simple Living. Creative Learning is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Cart
  • My Account

Return to top

Copyright © 2013-2020 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in