Commonwealth Solar Observatory (Mt Stromlo) : [82]
The Commonwealth Solar Observatory was established in January 1924 on the southwestern outskirts of Canberra following representations from physicist and astronomer Dr Walter Duffield (the first Director of the CSO), the Australian Solar Physics Committee, the Royal Society and others, who selected Mount Stromlo after testing proved it to be a suitable site for the purpose.
Astronomical observations had actually been carried out at Mount Stromlo in the previous decade with the Oddie telescope which had been installed at Mount Stromlo in 1911. The dome built to house it was the first federal building in the newly established Australian Capital Territory.
By 1950 the Observatory's name had changed, becoming the Commonwealth Observatory. During the 1950s the observatory experienced its greatest acquisition of telescopes, with no fewer than four major instruments installed there. In 1957 the observatory became part of the Australian National University as the Department of Astronomy in the Research School of Physical Sciences.
In January 2003 the observatory was heavily impacted by bushfires that devastated the southwest of Canberra. The fires destroyed the workshops, administration building, eight staff homes and seven telescopes, including the Oddie Refractor. The only telescope that was not destroyed was the Farnham Telescope, built in 1886 and installed at the observatory in 1928.
Parts of the observatory have been rebuilt, with Mount Stromlo remaining the headquarters of the ANU Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics and welcoming visitors, however all of the ANU's large research telescopes now operate out of the ANU’s Siding Spring Observatory near Coonabarabran in northern NSW.
Moving the IBM 1620 computer from Mt Stromlo (6)
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | c. 1977 |
Moving the IBM 1620 computer from Mt Stromlo (5)
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | c. 1977 |
Moving the IBM 1620 computer from Mt Stromlo (4)
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | c. 1977 |
Moving the IBM 1620 computer from Mt Stromlo (3)
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | c. 1977 |
Moving the IBM 1620 computer from Mt Stromlo (2)
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | c.1977 |
Moving the IBM 1620 computer from Mt Stromlo (1)
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | c. 1977 |
Damage to original observatory building at Mount Stromlo Observatory following the 2003 Canberra bushfires
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1/01/2003 |
Visitors inspect damage to Mount Stromlo Observatory following the 2003 Canberra bushfires
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1/01/2003 |
Damage to Mount Stromlo Observatory telescopes and buildings following 2003 Canberra bushfires
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1/01/2003 |
Damage to 74-inch reflector at Mount Stromlo Observatory following 2003 Canberra bushfires
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1/01/2003 |
Burned landscape at Mount Stromlo following the 2003 Canberra bushfires
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1/01/2003 |
Remains of 74-inch reflector at Mount Stromlo Observatory following the 2003 Canberra bushfires
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1/01/2003 |
Damage to grave of Walter Duffield at Mount Stromlo following 2003 Canberra bushfires
Author(s) | - |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1/01/2003 |
Uppsala-Schmidt telescope structure and dome shutter operation
Author(s) | Photographer: not known |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | circa 1950s |
Yale-Columbia telescope at Mt Stromlo
Author(s) | Photographer: not known |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | circa 1955 |
Mt Stromlo workshop and office staff
Author(s) | Photographer: not known |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1943 |
21 foot mirror leaving Narrabri
Author(s) | Photographer: not known |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | 1965 |
Interior of 100 inch Hooker Telescope dome at Mt Wilson Observatory, Los Angeles
Author(s) | Photographer: not known |
---|---|
Type | Image |
Date Published | - |
Date Created | no date |
Updated: 19 May 2020/ Responsible Officer: University Librarian/ Page Contact: Library Systems & Web Coordinator