UWS Rotary Observatory - hopefully opened for IYA2009

[Omaroo]

Please read the front page story on our website at MAS - "News Statement" from John Rombi (Astronut here on IIS). We have a great facility here in south-western Sydney, at the UWS, that has never really been used for what it was commissioned. Hopefully IYA2009 will bring some recognition of its existence and see it open to the public like it deserves.

http://www.macastro.org.au/home/

[matt]

Ahhh...UWS.....my ol' Alma mater.

'87-'90....

Good times:)

[netwolf]

I served 94-98 Kingswood Building X, I missed you by 4 years Matt.
What campus where you on?

I had heard whispers of the Observatory facility not really being used to its full potential. If i recall it had just been finished or started when i was there.
But that was the one at Werrington campus.

Regards
Fahim

[matt]

Mostly Kingswood, Fahim.

I did go to some classes at the Werrington campus toward the end of my degree...but more than 90 percent it was Kingswood.

[netwolf]

I was confused for a bit because you are listed as Brisbane, I recall now your did move to Brisbane recently.
I to spent 95+% (much of it at the Swamp Bar watching friends drink there sorrows) of my time at Kingswood, Engineering Building X. It was a pretty new building when i got there, not sure it was there in the late 80's.

Chris, are you involved with the Werrington campus observatory? What kind of scope do they have in there?

[Omaroo]

Hi Fahim

No, UWS Rotary Observatory is on the Campbelltown campus. There are two domes, one at 4.5m housing a 16" Meade LX200 and a 2.9m which is currently used for storage.... :rolleyes:

The Observatory was also to serve as the home of the Australian Optical SETI Project (OZ OSETI for short).

Sorry about the quality of the image - it looks like a mobile phone pic to me.

[astroron]

I am sorry to hear that the 2.9mt is only being used as storage shed :(
I helped to erect that and another one on the top of the Power House Museum in 1999:)
I hope you can get something up and running in the near future :)
Ron

[AlexB]

Guys,
Just to fill you in, both observatories are being prepared for usage.
Werrington is going through some updates and maintenance, check the WSAAG web site for information about the Observatory (wsaag.org)

Mac Ob is also being prepared for IYA09 usage for local "public" access, the biggest problem with accessing observatories as a "member of the general public" is the regulations regarding OH&S.

Safety on these sites is extremely important, you only have to watch the current affairs programs to see where litigation is going!!!

I am sure there will be lots of news regarding all Observatories in NSW over the next couple of months, as IYA09 was a major topic during NACAA 08 (held in Panthers in Penrith over Easter this year).

I just hope the owners of the observatories give enough reign to allow the facilities to be put to good use, both promoting the science and performing scientific work.

Fingers crossed!!

Cheers,
Alex Boyd
08/09 Committee Wsaag

[Terry B]

I did my master in astronomy between 99 and 02 at UWS but never actually set foot in the place. I remember the people running it at the time had great plans for the scope and spent quite a bit on it but then the uni pulled the plug and it all fell through. Quite a shame. Most of the academics moved to JCU.