Meet the Suburbs: Dark Sky Australia in Happy Valley

Published on 10 July 2023

Ahh Happy Valley. Home to leafy streets, a reservoir, and – star gazing. Yup, thanks to Happy Valley business, Dark Sky Australia, you can wish (or gaze) upon a star, peep planets and learn about nebulae.

“We love providing night sky viewing and photography in the southern suburbs using our state-of-the-art telescopes. We also have an Astrograph, essentially a camera telescope, that allows us to capture objects that you can’t see through the visual telescope.” says chief star gazer and owner Dan.

And the ‘southern suburbs’ provides plenty of opportunity for an amazing night sky show – there’s enough darkness to see the science and wonder of the night sky, but enough ambient light for safety too.

“All without trekking too far from home, which is a bonus,” says Dan before continuing. “Happy Valley is an amazing spot. Close enough to everything but with a dash of green and country.”

Having studied astronomy as a small part of his degree, coupled with a vested interest in this natural science, it was only natural Dan dreamt up Dark Sky Australia. And so, from September 2021, he’s been sharing his love of the stars through guided tours. He also loves the wow factor that star gazing brings.

“I love the reaction people have when they see the rings of Saturn for the first time. This is always a 'wow' moment, it leaps out of the eyepiece as if it is painted onto the sky. I especially like taking out beginners who have never seen through a telescope before. There really is a hidden world above that is in plain sight most of the time.”

Check out this local star’s business here:
https://www.facebook.com/DarkSkyAustralia
https://www.darkskyaustralia.com