What's the Status at Milroy Observatory?

[Merlin66]

I just noted that the ol' B&C I inspected at Siding Spring in 1984 was relocated to Milroy Observatory.
http://bollerandchivens.com/?p=414
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/stunning-galaxies-seen-easily-from-the-milroy-observatory/6919240
It now seems to be "under review"
Anyone know what is happening.

[Amaranthus]

The 40" do you mean Ken? As far as I understood it, it was in regularly use on a new mounting. However, as you note, there does seem to be some change afoot! http://www.milroyobservatory.com.au/ Not sure what is going on!

The 40" served many useful years after 1984, being outfit with early iterations of the modern astronomical CCD. My Dad worked on the instrumentation of it and the 2.3m (principally) for over 15 years from 1985 onwards. I'm not sure what happened to the 24" - it was rarely used after the 1980s. But the ANU telescopes at SSO were certainly in their heyday back then.

[gary]

Hi Ken,

Four American observers who were part of a larger group that came out
to our OzSky event this year had booked a night on the B&C at the
beginning of April.

Generously they had invited the Australian hosts to join them.

However, some time in March this year they received word that the
observatory would no longer be able to honour their booking.
What I heard was along the lines that it was being devoted full-time
to professional work.

I had seen it when it was still installed up at Sidings Springs but have
never had the opportunity to look through it.

[Satchmo]

The first I heard of it being closed was last year when they said it was closing for 4 months until March as the skies would be smoky until then . I am sure there is much more to the story . It is perhaps not an ideal instrument for public outreach work - very small field of view and difficult to get hordes to the eyepiece aside from the thermal management issues of a hundreds of kg of glass but I am only surmising .

[astroron]

Probably was opened with professional work in mind,just invite the public in till that work arrives,then close them out.
Nothing wrong with that BTW.
Cheers:thumbsup:

[spacezebra]

I was there at the opening and under the impression that they were looking for high end clientele to use the accommodation and observatory. Maybe that did not eventuate. :shrug:

Cheers Petra d

[Merlin66]

I don't know what the deal was to acquire the 40" from the ANU but the cost of refurbish and relocation must have cost more than a few dollars.
Somehow these costs need to be recovered.

[Satchmo]

I heard that the instrument had been mothballed for many years by ANU and was given away , and the local council granted the owners $150K towards setting up the scope in the local community .

The cost per night for amateur astronomers to use was $500 per night ( minimum 5 people ie $2500 )

Has anyone reading visited and used the instrument ?