siding springs through the day

[GrahamL]

Am passing through tomorrow and wondering if it's worth a drive up for a look?

[jahnpahwa]

I thought it was cool to see the AAT up close.



There's not much else up there, though. I really wish the itelescope roof would open for a peek... I'd quite enjoy drooling through the chainlink fence.

[Sunfish]

Definitely worth a look . You should check. At one time there was a tour but at least you can walk around outside. Quite a large scale complex and I can remember the optics transport case on the ground outside being huge.

Some great short walks up in the hills nearby.

[wayne anderson]

It is well worth a visit, you can enter the dome via the ground level door to enter the public viewing room and display, lots of photos and info and possibly you may just get to see them setting up for observing.

It is good to know just what they are observing tonight

AAT Observing Schedule below:

https://aat.anu.edu.au/science/observing/schedules/aat

Looks like they are scheduled to be using the 2df + hermes instruments for GALAH

https://galah-survey.org/facilities

For deeper reading the Instruction manual for 2df + hermes instrument

https://aat.anu.edu.au/files/2dF-HERMES-obs-manual_1.pdf

[theodog]

Of course it's worth a drive up for a look.

Its a beautiful day in Coona and on the mountain today.

The inner Solar System Drive,
Cool mountain environ's,
Close up look at the AAT or what ever it is now,
Great coffee in the Exploratory and a cheap tour of the displays to get a grip on modern (world leading) research astronomy.

What more could you want?:shrug:

Oh, and don't forget the 1km drive into the Warrumbungles National Park to Whitegums Lookout for a look over the volcano.:thumbsup:

[GrahamL]

Thanks for the info I will go to the lookout Jeff
Leaving Tamworth soon hopefully

[alan meehan]

Iam waiting for a reply from the aat with regards to tours ,but at this stage they are closed to the public ,thats on there website

[GrahamL]

It was worth the drive up , thats a big scope when you have to take a lift up 3 floors to have a look at it .. the displays at the info centre were good to .we stayed down the bottom at a motel type place not far from the park ,, very cold that night outside and cloudy as usual,,went to whitegums and did the Tara cave walk and another I cant remember .
my wife wants to go back to the Pilliga for a look , Is it somewhere you can spend a week ?

[sharpiel]

Many years ago as a 16 year old I was lucky enough to do my week of school "work experience" inside the complex. Got to go into all the domes and hang around all the telescopes and spend time with the techs and astronomers day and night.

I'll never forget it.