Mt Stromlo Visitor Centre and Cafe Opens

[Kunama]

For those planning to visit Canberra (and for the locals) ....

The Mount Stromlo Visitor Centre and Southern X Cafe opened today.
The new Cafe (operated by the Southern Cross Club) serves a mean coffee...

The new displays are very well set out and includes the Oddie refractors, both the extensively fire damaged original (a very sad sight for those who had looked through it in the past) and the beautiful recreation by Tim Wetherell.

There is also a beautiful Thomas Cooke refractor in the foyer that I would love to take home :D

Upstairs there is a children's area with books and activities......

[The_bluester]

Damn, one weekend too late! We were in Canberra over the weekend for the war memorial technology centre open day. Torrid drive up it was too.

We spent a few days in Canberra in January and had a look around Stomlo, a cup of coffee up there would have been great. Next time perhaps.

[MattT]

Any photos Matt?

[strongmanmike]

Good place for the next Canberra get together :)

Southern Cross Club huh?...wonder if they have pokies...:question:

Mike

[Kunama]

I had my granddaughter with me so no chance for pictures..


Definitely the place for Canberra area coffee meets Mike. It is open 7 days a week 9-4.30 M-F and 7.30-5.00 S & S.

[Kunama]

The savagery of the Canberra Firestorm of 2003 is shown clearly here in the original 9" Oddie Refractor.
The shattered objective has fused with nails, screws and stones that were inside the dome and the tube shows the rapid oxidisation that occurred after the protective coatings were burnt off.

[Steffen]

I hope you don't mean average coffee... :lol:

[RickS]

What's the Strehl ratio on the refigured objective, Matt? :)

A damn shame...

[Kunama]

No Steffen, they yell mean and nasty things at you when they serve you..... :D



A shame indeed, it was a lot clearer in bygone years by my recollection....
I did hear a whisper that the original dome would be restored and the replica would be installed for outreach...... :thumbsup:

Here is another beautiful scope, a Thomas Cooke Refractor that greets you in the foyer.....

[MattT]

Thanks for the pics Matt.

Was up Mt Stromlo a few months before the fire went through, had lunch at was a new cafe up there...no telescopes in the entrance...all the real ones were outside in white domes...:sadeyes: