Macquarie University Observatory
History of the Observatory- Telescopes
- Facilities for undergraduate teaching and research
- Public Observing Program
- Photo Gallery
- Map
The Macquarie University Observatory was originally constructed as a research facility but, since 1997, has also been accessible to the public through its Public Observing Program. The Observatory saw a record crowd on the night of 29th August 2003, with 667 visitors attending to observe the Opposition of Mars. The Observatory continues to support public-access astronomy, undergraduate teaching and occasional research-level activities.
The Observatory houses permanently mounted 16" and 12" Meade telescopes. We also operate a portable 8" Dobsonian and a pier-mounted 8" Celestron telescope. The 3.2-metre radio telescope at the observatory may be remotely operated from the physics/computing laboratory on campus.
History of the Observatory
The Observatory was first opened in 1978. The Foundation for Astronomy was established in 1988 by Dr. Alan Vaughan to raise funds for further development of the Observatory, which was moved to its present site adjacent to Culloden Rd in the early 1990s. The second dome, which houses the 16" Meade telescope, was opened by Professor John Loxton on 3rd May 1997. Construction of this dome was funded by the Macquarie University School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics and the Foundation for Astronomy.
The Public Observing Program was operated from 1997 until the end of 2001 by a privately-operated business, Southern Skies Mobile Observatory. Since 1st January 2002, the Public Observing Program has been operated by students studying for their BSc (majoring in Astronomy and Astrophysics) or higher degrees. Much of this work is voluntary.
Our Telescopes
The 16" Meade Telescope
The telescope is used for public viewing on Friday nights and is used for group visits and research on other nights of the week.
The 12" Meade GPS Telescope
This telescope is also used on Friday nights, and for group visits.
We operate a Celestron C8 and a refractor when extra telescopes are needed.
Teaching Activities
Radio Astronomy
The 3.2-metre radio telescope at the observatory is a small dish, suitable for observing the Sun. With radio astronomy we do not see an image, as with an optical telescope, but can map the signal strength in different directions on the sky. The main purpose of the radio telescope is to educate students in the basics of radio astronomy.
Research Activities
Monitoring of Eta Carinae
Eta Carinae is classified as a Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) and shows a periodic dip in magnitude every 5.5 years. Students, as part of a voluntary project, monitor the changes in brightness using CCD imaging equipment at the Observatory.
Honours Research Projects
From time to time, one-year honours projects are conducted at the observatory. Optical astronomical equipment used in conjunction with the telescopes includes: CCD cameras for imaging and photometry; and a single-fibre spectroscope for obtaining object spectra.