Antimony Observat0ry was established in 2022 when Professor Brian Boyle retired to the beautiful Gibbston region of Otago.   Brian was a professional astronomer for 35 years, spending much of that time in Sydney, Australia.  He was Director of the largest optical and radio telescopes in Australia and was also part of the Supernova Cosmology Project team which discovered the acceleration of the Universe in 1998; contributing towards the evidence for the existence of Dark Energy.

 

Since coming to New Zealand, Brian has devoted his time to supporting the community via his passion for inspiring and educating the public in the region's dark skies and the astronomical opportunties here.  Brian chairs the Winsterstellar Charitable Trust ( https://winterstellar.com) which has reached over 50,000 residents and visitors to Otago in the last four years through the astronomy exhibitions and presentations it supports.  Brian also led the application to secure international dark sky status for the Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park (https://www.gibbstondarksky.co.nz) awarded in May 2024.

 

The observatory and the 2ha vineyard in which it lies, is named after the prominent mountain saddle (Antimony Saddle) to the south-east of the vineyard. At 380m above sea level, the vineyard also produce a premium Gibbston Pinot Noir. A small nano-brewery is also based on the premises, specialising in Pale Ales, brewed with locally-grown hops.