Reports - 2010
Astronomy Benalla Meeting Presentations - 16th September 2010
Visit to Siding Spring Observatory - Peter and Peg Presneill
Siding Spring Observatory is located on Mount Woorut (at a height of 1165m) approximately 25 kilometres west of the town
of Coonabarabran, NSW. Bordering the eastern edge of the Warrumbungle National Park the ANU holding covers an area of
approximately 151 hectares and includes the Observatory Precinct on the summit of Mount Woorut as well as steep slopes
to the north and south.
Siding Spring Observatory began as a field station for Mount Stromlo Observatory, located in the ACT, after light pollution
from the growing city of Canberra began to adversely affect visibility from Mount Stromlo Observatory. The Siding Spring site
was selected by ANU in 1962 from many other possible locations because of the dark and cloud free skies. By the mid
1960s ANU had set up three telescopes, together with supporting facilities such as sealed roads, staff accommodation,
electricity and water. Later the 2.3m Advanced Technology Telescope was constructed on the site by ANU: it began operation
in 1984.
The Siding Spring Observatory is the premier facility on the Australian mainland for optical and infrared astrophysics
research. ANU has four telescopes at the observatory: the 2.3m Advanced Technology Telescope; 40inch Telescope; 24inch
Telescope and the 16 inch telescope. The 1.3m SkyMapper telescope and a variety of telescopes owned by other
organisations are situated on the site: 3.9m Australian Astronomical Telescope; 2m Faulkes Telescope; 1.24m UK Schmidt
Telescope; 0.6m Uppsala Schmidt Telescope; 0.5m Automatic Patrol Telescope; 0.45m Rotse telescope; and the Ystar
telescope.
