21 May 2023 - present

Starry Night: The World of John Tebbutt traces the life and achievements of the renowned 19th century astronomer, John Tebbutt.

After discovering the Great Comet of 1861 at the age of 26, John Tebbutt quickly achieved international recognition and was soon widely considered the foremost astronomer in Australia. He carried out an impressive range of astronomical observations and authored almost 400 publications, all from his observatories located in Windsor, NSW.

Although astronomy was his driving passion, he also studied local weather and flooding, was involved in several societies, ran a local time service, and wrote about religion. As a man he was forthright and factual, and held himself and others to high standards.

Starry Night began as an online exhibition, complete with interviews, a virtual tour of his surviving exhibitions, and photographs of Tebbutt collections held in the Hawkesbury. This physical display extends the online exhibition by providing the rare opportunity to view Tebbutt's surviving scientific instruments in person, thanks to a generous loan from the private collection of the Tebbutt family.

To delve into the world of this fascinating figure, visit the Hawkesbury Regional Museum or check out our online exhibition by clicking here.

Image courtesy of Hawkesbury Library Service