Bushfires Destroy Historic Mt. Stromlo Observatory

Anthony writes "The historic Mt Stromlo observatory has been destroyed by fires. Unfortunately Google cache and similar archives are the only available detailed information. Looks like the web site was housed at the observatory. Telescopes housed there were 74" and 50" reflectors along with the "Oddie" 9" refractor used by the Canberra Astronomical Society. Also destroyed were a number of student houses and workshops. The view from the air is one of molten domes and twisted metal. These fires have already destroyed 388 houses in the suburbs of Canberra. Luckily the winds have not picked up today, but the danger is still high."

Comments

forest fires

[vldmr_krn]

This is an interesting article about why some forest fires are more destructive than they could be.

Re:forest fires

[perfessor multigeek]

And you actually believe an interview from Fox, where their only expert is somebody from something called the "Competitive Enterprise Institute"?
Evidently I have to be the one to break this to you, but This man is not a scientist!
These are industry flacks. People who are PAID by big corporations to put out stuff like "The costs of Kyoto" or to go on television representing the auto industry about why we should be buying more SUVs.
Just because somebody says it doesn't make it true.
Oh, and by the way, as somebody who *has* talked extensively with actual scientists (with PhDs and field experience and everything, woohoo), that whole "just clearing this timber for the good of society" stuff is utter bullshit.
There are any number of good ways to reduce fire damage. Allowing companies like Weyerhauser to go in and lumber the place is not one of them. Not only do they consistently get caught taking out more trees then they claimed they would (thereby creating the sorts of empty spots and monocultures that seriously damage the forest and in fact INCREASE the risk of fire) but they do it in ways that damage the soil's ability to retain moisture. I could give you a dozen other reasons why but you're big boys and girls, you know perfectly well how to use Google should you so choose.

I'm gonna keep hittin' it 'til folks get a clue.
Facts, people. From sources that you have checked out. Not "I read it somewhere". Facts.
Grrrrrrr
-Rustin

Re:forest fires

[m00nun1t]

I don't know much about other countries (as I'm Australian), but in Australia bush fires aren't a bad thing - they are part of the natural cycle of life here.

For example, there are some trees with seeds in pods that only open when burnt - without fires, this species of tree would have died out thousands of years ago. The problem is twofold: people have chosen to live in areas designed to burn down, and having people there increases the chances of a fire starting thus making it more frequent than it has to be. The fires will continue - we are the ones that have to change.

You can learn a bit more here..

text of article

[paughsw]

try http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://msowww.anu.edu .au/ MOUNT STROMLO AND SIDING SPRING OBSERVATORIES Astronomer at work: Alex Rodgers, a Research Fellow and later a Director of the Observatories, at the 50-inch Great Melbourne Telescope in the mid-1960s. Established in 1924, the Commonwealth Observatory at Mount Stromlo, on the outskirts of Canberra, antedated the University by many years. In 1950 the Commonwealth Astronomer, Richard van der Reit Woolley, was appointed an Honorary Professor attached to the Research School of Physical Sciences; but it was not until 1957 that Mount Stromlo formally became a part of the ANU. As the lights of Canberra began to interfere with the astronomers' viewing, the University moved to establish an observatory at Siding Spring in the Warrumbungle Range, 660 kilometres due north of Mount Stromlo. ANU scientists and engineers helped design and construct the Anglo-Australian Telescope at Siding Spring, which was commissioned in 1974. An advanced technology 2.3 metre telescope was constructed during the 1980s. Astronomers at Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories have made outstanding contributions to astronomy and astrophysics. Research in the 1950s provided the first clue that the Magellanic Clouds had evolved differently from our own galaxy, and so offered new insights into galactic evolution. In the 1990s ANU astronomers were able to show that about 90 per cent of disc galaxies (such as the Milky Way) take the form of `dark matter', the unseen matter in the galaxies' haloes. The 2.3 metre telescope at Siding Spring, at the time of its opening in 1984. The cuboid building rotates on its base.

Re:From a Canberran ..

[Anonymous Coward]

From another Canberran... I was at a wedding at the Canberra Southern Cross Club. The wedding reception was cut short when people had to rush off to secure their valuable possessions. We could see the fires licking the top of Mt Taylor (nearby) and rolling down the mountain and spreading out towards us.
The sky was blackened and I was choking on some ash in the air when I left mid-afternoon, yet it seemed like 9PM at night, even though it was only 4ish.

Another Canberran view

[Zenophran]

I've been up (trying to catch a little rest here and there) since 9am yesterday morning (it's now 9pm today). The damage here has been devastating. I'd just like to say thanks to all the emergency services personnell for all the work they've done over the last few days. This has been termed the largest natural disaster in Australian History (or so I've been told).

Last night I was up on our roof hosing everything down, the smoke was so thick I couldn't see the flames coming towards us. All we could see was a bright red glow that looked like the sky was on fire. I don't think that's a vision I'll ever forget.

I just consider myself lucky that I'm in the northern area as it wasn't hit anywhere near as hard as the southern suburbs. At the moment I believe that 25% of Canberra is still without electricty, water and gas.

Again, thanks to all the emergency service people who prevented this disaster from becomming any worse.

Remebering the Stromlo Observatory

[chongo]

The news is carrying details of the loss, devastation, and deaths related to one of Australia's worst bush fires in history. I'd like to focus on one small aspect of the disaster: the loss of the Mt Stromlo observatory facilities.

The loss of Mt. Stromlo Observatory facility is very great loss.

A number of the obvious sites related to Stromlo are down, due to the fire or due to the wide spread power outages in the area. I will make links to indirect and cached pages.

Established in 1924, the Commonwealth Observatory at Mount Stromlo, on the outskirts of Canberra. Commonwealth Observatory was recognized for its important research into the origin and future of the universe.

Astronomers at Mount Stromlo made outstanding contributions to astronomy. It would be difficult to list all of the important contributions to Astronomy made by the people working at Mt. Stromlo. Now, a few come to mind:

• Stromlo research in the 1950s provided the first clue that the Magellanic Clouds had evolved differently from our own galaxy. These results gave us important insights into galactic evolution.
• In the 1990's, astronomers from Stromlo and Sliding Springs (many km away from the fire area) showed that about 90% of disc galaxies (such as our own) are greatly influenced by ''dark matter'', in their galaxies' halos.
• They made important observations in the first hours after Supernova 1987A (the first naked eye supernova in several centuries of years) was discovered.
• Then there is the sort of work such as the Stromlo Abell Cluster Supernova Search
• The Massive Compact Halo Objects (Macho project that was the first to record many microlensing events in our Galaxy as well as in the LMC.
• Then there was all of that tedious, but vital work of spectral classification of southern stars.
• Many of the first parallax distances to Southern stars were first made at Stromlo.
• The list goes on and on ... I am sorry that I must leave out so many other significant contributions!

One of the principal instruments at Stromlo was the 74-inch (188-cm) reflecting telescope. The 74-inch telescope was erected in 1953, and until the completion in 1974 of the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope at Siding Spring, this was the largest telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. In 1982, it was used to discover the fossil star CD-38245: a star so old that it is made almost purely of gases left over from the big bang.

It also was home scopes such as the robotic 50-inch (127-cm). It was an excellent example of how an older telescope could be outfitted with new controls and instruments to perform innovative work. The MACHO project was conducted on the 50 inch.

Two historical scopes come to mind, the Oddie, and the Yale-Columbia telescope:

The Oddie, was a wonderful 9-inch Newtonian telescope. The Victorian MP, James Oddie, presented this telescope to the Commonwealth government for use in the proposed Commonwealth Observatory. It was installed on the site at "Mt Strom" (as Stromlo was originally known) in September 1911. Over the years the Oddie telescope has made valuable contributions to Southern Hemisphere astronomy; it did some of the first measurements of the brightness, color and spectral classification of southern stars.

The Yale-Columbia telescope, 26-inch Grubb long-focus refractor was erected at this site for the determination of parallaxes of southern stars (it was the largest refractor in the southern hemisphere when first installed.

Moreover, there were other scopes as well ... But alas, from what can be seen from the air at this time, most, if not all of those telescopes have been lost. At appears that heat from the burning of the nearby bush /trees was hot enough to melt many of the domes at the observatory.

The Canberra Astronomical Society used the Stromlo lecture hall for their monthly meetings. During public nights, the public had access to a domed C14 scope, the Oddie, and a number of scopes brought to the site by members ... all through the hard work and generous efforts of the Canberra Astronomical Society.

I had the privilege of observing at Mt Stromlo several times and spoke at one of the CAS meetings. I still can recall flying down from the US to a CAS member's home to see SN1987, . I was there only 36 hours after the naked eye supernova was first observed. I still recall seeing the single star, at a distance of over 168,000 light-years, change in color and rightness over the course of an evening. I was one of the most important astronomical events I have had the honor to witness. I recall that every scope up at Mt Stromlo was all pointed at the Large Magellanic Could where SN 1987A was blazing away. The previous observing board schedule was cancelled as people raced to collect as much early critical data as they could in the early hours of the event.

I had the privilege of being with the members of the Canberra Astronomical Society on two of my several total solar eclipses: 1991 in Hawaii, US and most recently the 2001 eclipse in Ceduna, AU.

(Both trips count among my several successful viewings of solar totality. Although the 1991 Hawaii was a close call that was saved because my friend (the one who introduced me to the CAS) broke his arm a very short time before the Eclipse ... which allowed both of us to have a full view of Totality in Hawaii ... but that is another story!)

I look forward to meeting with many of these same people when we go to Antarctica for the 2003 solar eclipse.

My best wishes and heart felt sorrow go out to all of those people who worked so hard to make Mt. Stromlo such a wonderful place for the public to visit and who helped the observatory make many important contributions to Astronomy. Much of what was lost cannot be replaced. Still it is my hope that those who are left will be able to rebuild something anew out this tragedy.

Re:Four dead - over 400 homes destroyed

[The Good Jim]

The major problem was - NO BLOODY WARNING!

No one can stop a fire on a hot day with a strong wind - but you can save your house as it roars past. Usually you get fair warning of bad days

The warning was not there.

More importantly, the fire service didn't pick the weather - and then they and the government panicked... They stuffed up, got scared, panicked, and got lucky when the wind dropped. Every one makes mistakes. That is what happened on Saturday. If everyone had done everything right, we still would have ended up with one or two dead - the situation was just too bad - but the mistakes cost a couple of lives too.

I'll be there in 2 weeks

[tconnors]

I heard this on the news lastnight. I was absolutely devestated. I know many of the PhD students - we have 2 visiting this insitution currently - I rang up one of them yesterday, but all her family is safe.

There have been emails flying around all the astronoical lists - my supervisor did his PhD thesis there. All the telescopes have gone. The computers destroyed - some (most? All?) tapes were stored offsite as soon as they realised there was a fire coming (why they don't store them offsite as part of normal backup routines escape me). The biggest loss will be for the students - the telescope is not at a dark sky site (Canberra is /big/ these days), but the students do most of their PhD's on this set of telescope, almost exclusively. We also lost one instrument that had just about been finished and was soon being send off to the Gemini telescopes. Another one that they were meant to be building will have to have other plans - the workshop is destroyed. A lot of the astonomers lost their houses, but so far, every life has been accounted for, and the main university site is still safe... for the time being.

I wrote my journal entry lastnight - I'm afraid it might be a bit emotional. But I will keep updaeing it as I find things out - http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/journa l/index.cgi?030119.001042611975

I'll be there in 2 weeks, as part of a cosmology school. We were meant to be taking a tour of the site. Oh shit, I don't know whether I want to go there anymore.

I am really worried about MOST telescope that the university of Sydney runs. A bit north of Canberra, but I think it is out of the way of fires. The grass around there will go up in seconds though - I hear the fire in these situations travels at up to 60 km/h. All the telescopes in Australia are somewhat unsafe from fires - the Siding Springs Observatory is in the middle of bushland, and there is no fire-break up there (I think there was one for Mt Stromlo). The fires in 1998 came too close for my liking...