Mount Stromlo Observatory

Mount Stromlo Observatory (MSO) located just outside of Canberra, Australia, is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University (ANU).

History

The observatory was established in 1924 as The Commonwealth Solar Observatory. The Mount Stromlo site had already been used for observations in the previous decade, a small observatory being established there by Pietro Baracchi using the Oddie telescope being located there in 1911 . The dome built to house the Oddie telescope was the first Commonwealth building constructed in the newly established Australian Capital Territory. Until World War II, the observatory specialised in solar and atmospheric observations. During the war the workshops contributed to the war effort by producing gun sights, and other optical equipment. After the war, the observatory shifted direction to stellar and galactic astronomy and was renamed The Commonwealth Observatory.

The ANU was established in 1946 in nearby Canberra and joint staff appointments and graduate studies were almost immediately undertaken. A formal amalgamation took place in 1957 with Mount Stromlo Observatory becoming part of the ANU.

On January 18, 2003 the devastating Canberra firestorm hit Mount Stromlo (which is surrounded by a plantation pine forest) destroying five telescopes, workshops, seven homes and the heritage listed administration building. The only telescope to escape the fires was the 1868 15-centimetre Farnham telescope.

Redevelopment is now under way with the restoration of several of the heritage buildings and the construction of new workshops.

The current observatory director is Harvey Raymond Butcher.

SOURCE: Wikipedia Mount Stromlo Observatory

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Contact Details:
EOS Space Systems Pty Limited
111 Canberra Avenue
Griffith  ACT  2603 Australia

Satellite Laser Ranging Observatory
Cotter Road
Mt Stromlo  ACT  2611 Australia

Telephone: + 61 2 6222 7900
Facsimile:  + 61 2 6299 7687