Talk

The Convenor of NACAA XXV, Terry Cuttle, will open the convention and introduce the keynote speaker.

Barry will describe how and why the Great Melbourne Telescope (GMT) came into being, its main aim or goal, its achievements, its problems and the ASV’s plan, working with the Museum of Victoria and the Royal Botanic Gardens, to rebuild it in its original building and use it for public viewing.
Barry will go through how Melbourne won the right to build the GMT at Melbourne Observatory in 1869 to study “southern nebulae”, which we now know to be galaxies.
The GMT was the largest fully steerable telescope in the world for 40 years. It was a product of “Marvellous Melbourne” which came about because of Victoria’s massive growth and wealth that was brought about by the gold rush of 1851.

In 2004, the irrepressible Prof Fred Watson AM wrote a book titled “Stargazer, the Life and Times of the Telescope” covering the birth and development of the telescope. After many requests, a tour was put together to visit some of the sites mentioned in the book and in September 2008, a varied bunch of Aussie astronomers, enthusiasts and not so enthusiastic partners assembled in Edinburgh to tour through the UK and Europe. It turned out to be a fascinating mix of astronomical moments and tourist hotspots and was voted as one of best experiences many of the participants had enjoyed. This presentation covers that tour with delightful anecdotes and pictorial highlights. It was a huge success in spite of the title which was coined by one of the not so enthusiastic partners.

The value of an observatory in your own backyard cannot be overestimated. Countless evenings spent taking the equipment outside and then setting it up wastes a lot of potential observing time, especially for one who lives in Southern Victoria where a period of a few hours of clear observing time is precious. This presentation initially discusses the process for the design concept, and then some of the design and construction challenges for a two-storey, circular, geodesic-domed-observatory. The simplicity, strength and cost of the geodesic dome are outlined, as is the design and construction of a solid tall pier and a freely-running turntable. For a relatively modest outlay, the finished observatory not only provides a proper home for the telescope and a spacious sheltered observing facility, but it can also look attractive in your garden. I am pleased to be able to share my experience with you so that some might feel more confident to embark on such a rewarding project and benefit from significantly more observing time.

Obtaining accurate astrometry of fast-moving objects (such as near-earth asteroids) is difficult with usual CCD techniques. Video of asteroid 2009 DD45 in early 2009 (which moved at several arc seconds per second at closest approach) was used to obtain astrometry of this asteroid. The astrometry was precise, and led to the techniques required to use video for astrometry being written up and published on the web site of the Minor Planet Center.

Horrocks and his friend were the only viewers of the 1639 transit of Venus, and he died shortly afterward. His posthumous fame as an astronomer is the subject of a recent biography by Peter Aughton who awards him an illustrious title, despite his lowly status and early death. He revised Kepler's planetary tables on the basis of his own observations, first predicted and observed a Venus transit, observed and measured perturbation of planets, and observed and attempted to explain lunar movement, and the occurrence of tides This paper describes these achievements in their historical and pre-Newtonian context, and the grounds for this adulation.

2010 is the 100th anniversary of the choice of Mt Stromlo as the site for a Commonwealth Observatory. I have been involved with the observatories for 45 of these years. This talk will be a "potted history" of Stromlo and its daughter observatory at Siding Spring, lightened with some snippets of personal history that some colleagues probably wish were not remembered.

One of the things learned operating an entry level observatory for over 18 years is the public’s fascination with, not only seeing the stars and planets in close-up, but the accompanying stories, myths and legends. Our summer sky contains perhaps the best-known and most conspicuous constellations and star groups. Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades are each rich in stories and in many, all three combine for a fascinating insight as to how ancient cultures read the night sky. Their brilliant stars are found on or close to the celestial equator and are therefore visible throughout the world. They played a major role in the mythologies of many ancient civilisations, and Orion and the Pleiades are mentioned in the Bible several times. So, today, let us embark on a voyage through many cultures across the world telling their stories in a presentation that is non technical and a bit of fun.

Toongabbie East PS has had a ‘home made’ computer controlled planetarium since late 2006.
A small school planetarium comprises the hardware, software and physical dome structure. A 4.8m cardboard geodesic dome was initially made by students and has now been replaced with a purpose-built 5.0m fibreglass dome.
The planetarium has facilitated the learning of required astronomical concepts from the NSW primary syllabus. It has also had a social impact on aboriginal students and provided an awareness of the role of astronomy in our past, present and future. Anecdotal evidence shows that awareness and knowledge are increased in areas of science, mathematics and history/sociology. The presentation considers some of the specific learning outcomes and how much better student retention and understanding of them is with access to the planetarium.
Teaching staff at Toongabbie East write material specifically for the planetarium and comment favourably on it as a resource.
Use of the planetarium has now spread to the neighbouring community and other schools, indicating its value and viability.
Alternative paths to a planetarium are possible with different choices in hardware/software and component subassemblies. Substantially less than $10,000 can result in an educationally viable resource.

Occultation timing has proven to be an enjoyable and scientifically valuable observation technique which is particularly accessible to the amateur astronomer. ‘Waiting for Nothing to Happen’ is a jolly romp through the world of occultation timing of all types and a primer for the 4th Trans-Tasman Symposium on Occultations.
This fast paced talk will demonstrate the value of occultations, both in historic and modern science. Real life examples will highlight how astronomers can make significant scientific contributions, even with modest equipment and a suburban location.
Unlike many other techniques, occultation timing is very much a team sport. The hard working Australasian occultation community, a world leader in occultation timing tools and techniques, cordially invite NACAA attendees to come along and get involved.