Sydney Observatory: Sydney's Contribution to the Science of Space
On a clear night, the best way to see the lights of the Southern Sky is through one of the two powerful telescopes at the Sydney Observatory.
Night sky viewing isn’t the only reason to visit the observatory. The solar-safe telescope is also used for observing the sun, bright stars and planets during the day, and the location, in one of the highest points in the city, affords stunning views of the harbour, day and night -- perfect for photography.
Built in 1848 as a simple time-ball tower near the signal station at Port Phillip, the structure was soon expanded to accommodate a full astronomical observatory -- a beautiful Italianate building made of Sydney sandstone. Work on the observatory was completed in 1858. The observatory gained international recognition under Henry Chamberlain Russell, the government astronomer from 1870 to 1905. He supervised Sydney's extensive involvement in the International Astrographic Catalogue, the first complete atlas of the sky. The observatory opened to the public in 1982.
The observatory and the adjoining space museum are open every daily (except Christmas Day), but the night tours and astronomy workshops must be booked in advance. The night tour includes an informative talk on the history of the museum, a 3D space theatre session, and a peek through (depending on viewing conditions) the historic 1874 refracting-lens telescope (the oldest working telescope in Australia) or the state-of-the-art computer-controlled reflecting telescope.
On a clear night, the astronomers will be able to point out stars, star clusters, planets, nebulas and the features of the moon.
The adjoining museum has exhibits on history, astronomy and local weather phenomena, while the 3D theatre screens a selection of short films on astronomic discoveries and space exploration.
Posted by Fiona Davies
