Where to go stargazing in Melbourne

If what you want is to just sit back and take in as much of the night sky as possible, then the Dandenong Lookout is where you want to be. Located on the uppermost reach of the Dandenong Ranges, the lookout displays all of Melbourne below and the night sky above, stretching over you like a big twinkly umbrella. During the day the coast is visible all the way to Mornington Peninsula, making it the perfect place to watch the sun go down and keep an eye out for the first curious planets and stars to come out.

Where: 26 Observatory Rd, Mount Dandenong.
When: Mon-Thu 10am-9.30pm; Fri-Sat 10am-10.30pm.
How much: $5 per car (Mon-Fri), $10 per car (Sat-Sun), $3 per motorbike, $15 for a minibus and $25 for a coach.

Australia's first digital planetarium is at Scienceworks in Spotswood. The theatre features a 16-metre domed ceiling, reclining seats, a 7.1 surround sound system and a full-dome video projection system. The result? A dazzling astronomical experience. Each of the Planetarium shows run for 30-45 minutes and include a current presentation of the live night sky and some of the big astronomical objects that can be seen. The best part about these shows is you'll learn handy tricks for the next time you're stargazing in your own backyard. 

Where: Scienceworks, 2 Booker St, Spotswood.
When: Daily 10am-4.30pm (with some evening talks).
How much: $10 (on top of general entry fee).

Contrary to what you might think, you don’t have to be an experienced astronomer to join the ranks of an astronomical society – you don’t even have to own your own telescope. Plenty of astronomical societies (including the aforementioned Astronomical Society of Victoria) welcome new members to come along to their meetings. Their aim is to teach and train newcomers in the art of looking at the sky by sharing their knowledge and understanding of the phenomena present in the universe.

Where: Search on Meet Up or learn more about ASV here.

This Dandenong Ranges observatory was first built in 1972 by Monash University. These days you can book public 'night at the observatory' sessions where you'll get a tour of the night sky and a viewing through the 18 inch telescope. Tickets for these sessions go fast, but a wait list is available. Or book Mount Burnett for a private session.

Where: 420 Paternoster Rd, Mount Burnett.
When: Visit the website to join the waitlist.
How much: $10-$20, children under five are free.

This volunteer-run astronomical society on the Peninsula has been kicking around since 1969 (yep, the same year as the moon landing). The organisation hosts public stargazing nights where it shares knowledge and views everything from the stars to the planets.

Where: Mt Martha Observatory, Mt Martha.
When: 8pm on the first Friday of every month.
How much: $5-$15, $35 for families

NB: At the time of writing, the Melbourne Observatory tours are currently not running. Please check directly with the website for up-to-date information as they plan to relaunch the offering.

The historic Old Melbourne Observatory is located in the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and the Starry Southern Skies program offers a glance at the movements of the moon, the stars and distant planets. These night-time astronomical tours see the roof of the Melbourne Observatory rotate and open up to the Australian night sky. Tours run from 8-9.30pm with experienced guides from the Astronomical Society of Victoria (ASV), loveable and enthusiastic devotees to the universe who are eager to share their knowledge. While the tours aren't running, you can often explore local star sightings online via the organisation's Facebook page.