The Backyard Universe

09/12/2024

We're selling a couple of our no-longer-needed telescopes: a 20 inch and a 5 inch: https://www.thebackyarduniverse.com.au/specials/20inch/ https://www.thebackyarduniverse.com.au/specials/5inch/ **EMAIL TO [email protected]** if you're interested in buying either of them.

12/11/2024

Sale of business

We are retiring at the end of November and know that we are leaving a gap in the shuttle transfer market, particularly for bushwalkers along the Wild South Coast Way portion of the Heysen Trail, from Cape Jervis to Victor Harbor.

This has been a profitable part of The Backyard Universe and we hope to find someone local on the western Fleurieu who wants to buy that portion of our business and fill that void. It would ideally suit someone who is semi-retired or wanting a part-time income.

The sale includes goodwill and our 2009 Toyota HiAce minibus. This is configured as a 14-seater so you will need to hold a light rigid (LR) vehicle licence or be willing to obtain one. The minibus has two diesel tanks, full-sized roo bar, light bar, 3 litre turbo diesel, 5 speed manual, auxiliary battery (with isolator) powering USB & 12 volt power points, tow bar, electric brake controller, regularly serviced and mechanically sound.

You will also need to obtain passenger transport accreditation from the Department of Transport for both yourself as the driver, and for the minibus. This allows you to transport paying passengers in the minibus.

Expressions of interest are sought and the closing date is Tuesday 26 November 2024, unless sold prior.

Please contact Fraser on 0488 705 224 or Lorraine on 0410 335 482 if you are interested and we’ll provide more details at that point.

Fraser & Lorraine Farrell
The Backyard Universe

Send a message to learn more

03/10/2024

It has come time for us to hang up our cosmic boots and head off to explore new galaxies for some well-deserved R&R. 🪐🥳

We are so grateful and filled with incredible joy and memories from each and every guests who has been on tour with us over the years.

We're extremely appreciative of the many supporters, business partnerships and friends for their help and encouragement over the past 8 years.

We thank you all so very much and wish you all more wonderful nights under the southern skies and hope you continue to enjoy our favourite little corner of the world, the western Fleurieu Peninsula.

Our Fleurieu Stars tour will still be operating until the end of November, if you have been considering this one. Now is your last chance! If the tour happens to be cancelled due to weather, a refund will be issued.

Disclaimer: All tours bar Fleurieu Stars have now been closed. Any remaining vouchers will be upheld, however, we require bookings to be made before end of November 2024. We will no longer be available to provide tours after this date.

Fraser & Lorraine
The Backyard Universe

30/09/2024

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in twilight this morning. 0.5seconds ISO20000
Comet head visible to the eye, tail also visible in small binoculars.

19/09/2024

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀!

Did you know that Saturn is visible all night during September and October?

Its rings are almost edge-on too.

17/09/2024

Hiking the Southern Heysen Trail or Wild South Coast Way used to come with one big problem: "How do we get back to our car?" With limited public transport options, no direct routes, and no stops near the trailheads, hikers were left stranded.

That’s where we come in—offering the only service of its kind in the region! Instead of worrying about getting back to your car, we’ve flipped the plan: Meet us at your hike's endpoint in the morning, and we’ll transport you to your starting point.

Why is this a game-changer?

You get a set meeting time and place, making logistics a breeze.
You can hike at your own pace without worrying about transport schedules.
Every step you take brings you closer to your car!
With our trusty minibus and enclosed trailer, we can transport up to 11 hikers (and their gear) right to the heart of the trail—even down gravel roads. This is hiking freedom like never before!

Comment "HIKING" to book your adventure with us today and experience hassle-free hiking.

16/09/2024

Gotcha (at last)!! Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in this morning's dawn sky, only 5 degrees above the horizon, and with a supermoon setting behind the camera.

15/09/2024

On one of our recent Fleurieu Stars tours, we had four lucky guests join us, expecting to gaze at the magnificent winter Milky Way under a clear, moonless sky.

But what they got was something far more extraordinary — a cosmic event like no other!

Just hours before sunset, reports flooded in about a solar storm causing stunning auroras worldwide. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the southern sky wasn't its usual inky black—it was ablaze with vibrant red, green, and yellow hues, dancing curtains of light moving across the heavens.

The aurora was so bright, it completely outshone the Milky Way and blotted out our usual views of star clusters and nebulae, turning the night into an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

Even with our powerful telescopes, our celestial targets were no match for the ethereal glow. But nobody was bothered one bit—our guests were completely mesmerised by the aurora, snapping photos and soaking up an experience most only dream of.

It was a rare gift from the universe, and our tour delivered it in full.

Don’t miss your chance to witness the next cosmic wonder—comment "AURORA" to book your adventure today!

13/09/2024

If you've never visited the southern Fleurieu before, your first stop should be the Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre in Yankalilla. That’s exactly where we took Zubenel and Genubi, our curious extraterrestrial explorers, on our first adventure. They landed eager to map the stars—and the coast—and found themselves drawn into the warmth of local tourism.

Inside the Visitor Centre, Zubenel marvelled at the variety of local maps and brochures. Genubi? Well, they were more interested in the unique gift shop, which featured artwork from local creatives and rare books that told tales of the region. The highlight? Hiring a bicycle to explore the coast (though Genubi had a little trouble with Earth's gravity), while Zubenel eyed off the off-road wheelchair for a rugged adventure. It was quite the laugh.

Their visit didn’t end there—next stop, the Historical Museum!

But the real story unfolds as Zubenel and Genubi delve deeper into the heart of the Fleurieu, guided by, Fraser and Lorraine, the local Astro experts.

Stay tuned for more cosmic discoveries and coastal escapades with our alien duo!

12/09/2024

Many cultures around the world have traditionally interpreted the Milky Way as a celestial river.

The local Kaurna people, whose traditional lands include the Adelaide Plains and the western Fleurieu Peninsula, view the Milky Way as a river in the sky. Their interpretations are part of the rich oral traditions that connect the night sky with the land, often relating to stories of creation and the spiritual significance of the stars. The Milky Way as a river is a metaphor for the pathways of life and spirit, closely tied to water's importance in their physical environment.

In China the Milky Way is called "The Silver River" (银河, Yín Hé). It plays a central role in the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, two lovers separated by the river and only allowed to reunite once a year, symbolising the stars Vega and Altair.

In Japanese culture, similar to Chinese folklore, the Milky Way is called "The River of Heaven" (天の川, Amanogawa). The tale of the star-crossed lovers (Orihime and Hikoboshi) mirrors the Chinese legend, celebrated during the annual Tanabata festival.

In Hinduism, the Milky Way is associated with the river Ganges (or Ganga), a sacred and life-giving river in India. The Milky Way is called Akash Ganga, which is Hindi for "Ganges of the Sky." The divine river descends from the heavens to join the river, and many Hindus see it as a link between Earth and the spiritual realm.

These cultural interpretations show how humanity connects celestial phenomena with life on Earth through myths, spirituality, and storytelling.

11/09/2024

Fraser’s Top 3 Tips for Traveling with a Telescope

Carry-On for Safety:
Always carry your telescope in your carry-on. Only check it if it's in a shockproof case, and use a padded bag or original foam for extra protection. Check airline size limits and be ready to unpack at security. This ensures your telescope stays safe during travel.

Opt for Compact Telescopes:
Always choose compact telescopes like Schmidt-Cassegrain, Maksutov, or short-tube refractors with apertures under 150mm. Some offer built-in star tracking, while others use phone apps. Practice with a planetarium app like Stellarium or Sky Map to familiarise yourself with the night sky before your trip.

Don’t Overlook Binoculars:
Binoculars, monoculars, or spotting scopes are great for travel. With 10x magnification, you can see Moon craters, and 25x reveals Jupiter’s clouds and Saturn’s rings. Apertures over 40mm offer stunning starfield views, but even pocket-sized binoculars will show more stars than the naked eye can.

Enhance your travel's stargazing experience without weighing down your luggage.

Do you still have questions? Ask them in the comments below!

28/08/2024

Can you believe the crater Tycho and its large pattern of rays are easily noticed on a full moon?

🌑🌒🌓🌔

The crater is nearly 5 kilometres deep, wide enough to engulf all of Adelaide, and was formed about 109 million years ago by the impact of an 8-10 kilometre diameter asteroid.

The crater is named after Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), an astronomer whose detailed star catalogues and decades of meticulous observations of planets helped kick-start the scientific revolutions of the Renaissance.

26/08/2024

🦘I know you can see yourself here...

Just imagine...🦘

🌑🌒🌓🌔

Enjoying the beauty of the Fleurieu Peninsula's breathtaking vistas while the splendour of the countryside hits you...

On a full moon evening, you're surrounded by the glory of the stunning Southern Hemisphere's starry sky and visions of the clear full moon...

Come and join us on our new night sky and day tours to get a glimpse up close and personal - bring your camera too!
You can get some photos of the extraordinary full moon or stunning views of Kangaroos grazing for yourself.

Comment LINK for our Booking link 📲

24/08/2024

✨ Did you take advantage of our Buy SA Week checkout code last week?✨

Share with us how you are going to take advantage of the Off-Peak season, share with us which tour you plan to enjoy this Winter?

23/08/2024

We highly recommend Southern Ocean Retreats 🦘🦜🌳🌅

22/08/2024

Do you know where the term 'Dark Web' comes from?

The far side of the Moon, which we never see from Earth, is often called its Dark Side and is mistakenly assumed to be a place of eternal night.

But ‘dark’ traditionally also means ‘unknown’ or ‘hidden’, which was an accurate description of the Moon's far side before it was photographed by the Luna 3 spacecraft in 1959.

The far side of the Moon gets just as much sunlight as the side we can see from Earth.

NASA’s DSCOVR spacecraft is gravitationally balanced between the Earth and the Sun about 1 million km beyond the Moon's orbit. It gets an excellent view of the fully illuminated far side of the Moon every month.

The modern expression ‘Dark Web’ uses ‘dark’ in the same way to describe the hidden criminal aspects of today's Internet!