[AZ-Observing] Fw: [ASSA-CHAT] Report o Mount Stromlo - Update

Additional information on the Mt. Stromlo fire

/Bob


----- Original Message -----
From: "J & P Howard" <jphoward@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <WebbSoc@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 3:51 PM
Subject: Re: [ASSA-CHAT] Report o Mount Stromlo


> > Laser ranger facility - gone
> That facility included a 1-metre telescope and some extremely accurate
> measuring equipment.
>
> > 9" Oddie refractor - gone
> The dome dates from 1910 - first dome on Mt Stromlo.  The telescope was
made
> in 1896.
> Was available for use by Canberra Astronomical Society on weekends.
Superb
> planetary telescope.  There was one storeroom full of observing logs going
> back many decades, and another containing some CAS eyepieces, charts, etc.
> The dome was reputedly haunted.
>
> > 26" Yale Columbia refractor - gone
> This telescope has been out of commission for several years, requiring
> repairs to the dome.  Now, the dome is destryed and the telescope tube is
> bent in two.
>
> > 50" Great Melbourne Telescope - gone
> In its guise of a 48-inch, this was the equal biggest telescope in the
world
> when manufactured in 1868.
>
> > 30" - might be ok?
> Perhaps didn't make the list as it has been out of commission for a couple
> of years due to unavailability of spares for ageing electrical equipment.
> Last used by the RAPT (Reynolds Amateur Photometry Team) for which work
they
> won the Berenice Page medal.  Canberra Astronomical Society is (was?)
> looking into the possibility of refurbishing the electronics as Mt Stromlo
> staff were all busy on the NIFS project.
>
> > 18" Upsala dome (Canberra Astronomical Societies dome) - gone
> The Upsalla Schmidt telescope was moved to Siding Spring some years ago,
> leaving the dome available for CAS to install their 14-inch dobsonian
> (presumably destroyed)and a 6-inch Takahashi (temporarily removed for
> repairs to the mount).  Also in the building were the CAS library and
other
> equipment.
>
> > 74" - definitely damaged but true extent of damage unclear.
> The dome is still standing, but the walls seem to have gone with the dome
> standing on metal staunchions.  I heard that the mirror may have melted,
but
> that is unconfirmed.  The attached mirror recoating room appears intact
from
> the aerial photo.  The coude room, data room and control room have been
> razed, but the coude spectrograph room goes nine feet underground into the
> bedrock.
>
> > Original administration building including two small domes housing
> > old refractor and solar scope - gone
> Building dates from 1924 when Mt Stromlo was a solar observatory.  The old
> refractor is the 6-inch Farnham.  Also in the building, and destroyed, was
> the Mt Stromlo Library.  This building was partially destroyed by
bushfires
> several years ago.
>
> > Workshops - gone
> These workshops manufactured rangefinding optics and other devices during
> WWII.  A couple of years ago they had a boost to their flagging fortunes
> when they won a mult-million dollar contract to manufacture the NIFS
> instrument for a 4-metre 'scope in Chile.  The contract meant they needed
to
> put on more staff and get some CNC milling machines, etc.  The instrument
> was nearly ready for delivery, but I presume is now gone.
>
> > Main admin building - at least water damaged but may be worse!
> That would be the Duffield and Woolley Buildings, named after former
> directors, where CAS hold their monthly meetings.
>
> Eight of the 12 astronomers' residences on Mt Stromlo were razed.  Many of
> the astronomers (and indeed CAS members) reside(d) in the suburb of Duffy,
> in which about 200 houses were destroyed.
>
> John Howard
>
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