The Cosmos
Centre at Charleville is pretty impressive with an array of
telescopes and a bunch of keen people ready to take us on a tour of
space. We just need the sun to go down.
We fill in
time with the impressive audio-visuals and over an hour get an
understanding of ancient star-gazers, meteors and space rocks. The
elaborate 3D models bring the stories to life and the Dreamtime
legends of the local Bidjara Aboriginal people and their views on
space.
By the time
darkness has engulfed the centre the roof of the building housing
three large telescopes has been moved back. Above us the Outback’s
stars and constellations seem close and bright.
The distance
diminishes rapidly as the centre’s volunteers give us an
introduction and our first look through the telescopes.
I’m
unaware of the scope’s movement as I watch my first star. Each of
the large telescopes is computer-controlled and moves to the next
target and tracks it on screen.
Over the
next hour we learn about red, blue and white stars and terms like
white giant, red dwarf and galaxy.
The light
from the sun gets to earth in around six minutes. Some of the
extraterrestrial bodies we’re looking at could have vanished a
million years ago yet their light is still reaching us. Einstein’s
theories supposedly learnt so many years ago suddenly take on new
significance.
All too soon
we’re finished and walk back to our motel as the millions of white,
red and blue pinpoints of light twinkle.
