Building Highlight - Mount Stromlo Observatory

Canberra has played a significant part in the field of astronomy in Australia. In 1909 a 9-inch refracting telescope, later named the Oddie Telescope, was presented to Prime Minister Alfred Deakin by James Oddie. Peter Baracchi, Government Astronomer of Victoria, oversaw its installation at Mount Stromlo on the outskirts of Canberra, with observations commencing in September 1911. These observations led to the selection of Mount Stromlo as the best location for the new Commonwealth Solar Observatory, which eventually opened in 1924. Dr Walter Duffield, who had long championed the establishment of a new observatory, was selected to be the inaugural Commonwealth Astronomer. 

The observatory's original interests were in solar and atmospheric physics. During the Second World War, the observatory served as an optical munitions establishment and, after the war, it undertook new research in stellar and galactic astronomy and became known as Mount Stromlo Observatory. 

In 1957 the ANU took over management of the observatory from the Commonwealth Department of the Interior and in the 1960s a second ANU observatory was established at Siding Spring near Coonabarabran, NSW. Together, the Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories form one of the leading optical astronomical observatories in the world, with research interests in stellar and galactic astrophysics.  

One of the earliest buildings at Mount Stromlo was the Director's Residence, built for the Observatory's inaugural director Dr Walter Duffield and his family in the 1920s. The Director's Residence would be home to nine directors of the Observatory between 1928 and 2002. 

In January 2003 Canberra's south-west suburbs, including the Mount Stromlo area, were heavily impacted by bushfires. The fires destroyed the observatory's workshops, administration building, eight staff homes and seven telescopes, including the Oddie Telescope. The only telescope which wasn't destroyed was the Farnham Telescope. Parts of the observatory have been rebuilt, with Mount Stromlo remaining the headquarters of the ANU Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics and welcoming visitors, however all of the University's large research telescopes now operate out of the Siding Spring Observatory. 

You can learn more about Mount Stromlo Observatory and the Mount Stromlo Heritage Trail here - https://rsaa.anu.edu.au/observatories/mount-stromlo-observatory/heritage-trail-and-director-s-residence

 

References

GML Heritage 2015, The Mount Stromlo Observatory Precinct. Heritage Management Plan - Volume 2 Heritage Inventory,  

ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics 2021, Mount Stromlo Observatory,  

 

Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1960 (ANUA16-104).

Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1960 (ANUA16-104).

Oddie Telescope at Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1960 (ANUA16-25). Photographer: ANU Photographic Services.

Oddie Telescope at Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1960 (ANUA16-25). Photographer: ANU Photographic Services.

Construction of the Director's House at the Commonwealth Solar Observatory (later Mount Stromlo Observatory), 1920s (ANUA592-2). The observatory's inaugural Director was Walter Duffield. The Duffield Family lived in the house during the 1920s.

Construction of the Director's House at the Commonwealth Solar Observatory (later Mount Stromlo Observatory), 1920s (ANUA592-2). The observatory's inaugural Director was Walter Duffield. The Duffield Family lived in the house during the 1920s.

Mount Stromlo Observatory Administration Building with Farnham Telescope (left) and Solar Telescope (right), c. late 1940s (ANUA13-B1-12).

Mount Stromlo Observatory Administration Building with Farnham Telescope (left) and Solar Telescope (right), c. late 1940s (ANUA13-B1-12).

Mount Stromlo Observatory Workshop, 1960 (ANUA16-95).

Mount Stromlo Observatory Workshop, 1960 (ANUA16-95).

Mechanical designer and draftsman Kurt Gottlieb working with the spectrograph, c. 1950s (ANUA615-390).

Mechanical designer and draftsman Kurt Gottlieb working with the spectrograph, c. 1950s (ANUA615-390).

Director Richard van der Riet Woolley, c. 1950s (ANUA16-397). Woolley served as Director of Mount Stromlo Observatory from 1939-1957.

Director Richard van der Riet Woolley, c. 1950s (ANUA16-397). Woolley served as Director of Mount Stromlo Observatory from 1939-1957.

74-inch Telescope, c. 1950s (ANUA615-377). The telescope was completed in 1955 and was the observatory's primary research instrument. It was destroyed in the 2003 Canberra Bushfires.

74-inch Telescope, c. 1950s (ANUA615-377). The telescope was completed in 1955 and was the observatory's primary research instrument. It was destroyed in the 2003 Canberra Bushfires.

Mount Stromlo Observatory workshop staff, c. 1950s (ANUA615-410).

Mount Stromlo Observatory workshop staff, c. 1950s (ANUA615-410).