The Astronomical Society of New South Wales (ASNSW) is an
amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy is a hobby where participants enjoy observing or imaging celestial objects in the sky using the unaided eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Even though scientific research may not be their primary goal, some amateur astronomers m ...
club in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It was founded in 1954 and it has over 400 members.
The society's objectives are stated in its constitution as follows: "The ASNSW exists to bring together people interested in
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
and related sciences, and to promote public interest and education in astronomy. The ASNSW provides members and the general public access to Astronomical observing facilities, educational lectures, and assistance in selecting, using and even building telescopes and related instruments."
The society has sections dedicated to providing support for members interested in specific aspects of
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
, including
astrophotography
Astrophotography, also known as astronomical imaging, is the photography or imaging of astronomical objects, celestial events, or areas of the night sky. The first photograph of an astronomical object (the Moon) was taken in 1840, but it was no ...
, computing, solar observing, the
Solar System
The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
,
double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* Th ...
and
variable
Variable may refer to:
* Variable (computer science), a symbolic name associated with a value and whose associated value may be changed
* Variable (mathematics), a symbol that represents a quantity in a mathematical expression, as used in many ...
star observing,
deep sky
A deep-sky object (DSO) is any astronomical object that is not an individual star or Solar System object (such as Sun, Moon, planet, comet, etc.). The classification is used for the most part by amateur astronomers to denote visually observed fa ...
observing and
telescope making
''Amateur Telescope Making'' (''ATM'') is a series of three books edited by Albert G. Ingalls between 1926 and 1953 while he was an associate editor at ''Scientific American''. The books cover various aspects of telescope construction and obser ...
. It also runs two dedicated observing sites, one at
Mount Bowen
Mount Bowen is a peak in the Prince Albert Mountains, Victoria Land, Antarctica. It is high, standing north of the Davis Glacier and south-southwest of Mount Howard. The mountain is primarily composed of layers of sandstone, and the peak is ...
near
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
and the other under darker skies near the country town of
Ilford.
History
The society was founded in 1954 as the "Sydney Amateur Astronomers" by Gordon Patston, an aerospace engineer lecturing at
Sydney Technical College
The Sydney Technical College, now known as the TAFE New South Wales Sydney Institute, is a technical school established in 1878, that superseded the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. The college is one of Australia's oldest technical education i ...
. The club started with about fifteen members, and Patston was the president. The first meetings were held in the garage behind Patston's house in the suburb of
Belfield.
As the group attracted new members, it became too large for the garage, resulting in a permanent clubhouse being constructed within the Patson family backyard. The majority of work was done by club volunteers, and on 18 September 1959, the new facility was officially opened by the astronomer
Bart Bok
Bartholomeus Jan "Bart" Bok (April 28, 1906 – August 5, 1983) was a Dutch-American astronomer, teacher, and lecturer. He is best known for his work on the structure and evolution of the Milky Way galaxy, and for the discovery of Bok globules, ...
, then Director of
Mount Stromlo Observatory
Mount Stromlo Observatory located just outside Canberra, Australia, is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University (ANU).
History
The observatory was established in 1924 as The Commonwea ...
.
The club was very active through the late 1950s and 1960s, with general-interest events such as public open nights, and sections for special purposes such as a junior section. It also worked with professional observers on a number of research projects, including a flare star observing program at the request of the
CSIRO
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentar ...
and the measurements of transits of artificial satellites across the moon as part of the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is a research institute of the Smithsonian Institution, concentrating on astrophysical studies including galactic and extragalactic astronomy, cosmology, solar, earth and planetary sciences, the ...
's "Project Moonwatch".
A program for observing artificial satellites was set up at shortly after the launch of the
Sputnik
Sputnik 1 (; see § Etymology) was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It sent a radio signal back to Earth for t ...
satellite on 4 October 1957. The club was the first group in the world to see the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, in October 1957
[ and they went on to record three of the first four Sputnik observations.][Campbell, Leon from the Optical Satellite Tracking Program of the ''International Geophysical Year'', cited in ]
In 1964, the society's name was changed to the "Astronomical Society of New South Wales", to better reflect the scope of its membership.
In 1969/70, the Society suffered two major setbacks. First, the Society was forced to sell its headquarters when the Council re-zoned and subdivided the Patstons' block of land. Second, the Society lost its president when Gordon Patston moved to England to take up a Churchill Fellowship to study aeronautical engineering. That combination of events caused severe financial hardship for the club, and the lack of a permanent venue initially made it difficult to attract and retain members; at its lowest point in the mid-1970s, membership numbers dropped to less than fifty. It took nearly ten years to build membership back up to previous levels.[
In 1973, the society acquired a long-term lease from the government for the ]Crago Observatory
Crago Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales. It is located at Bowen Mountain, New South Wales, Bowen Mountain, near North Richmond, New South Wales, North Richmond, which is around from S ...
site on Bowen Mountain, but in spite of being used regularly, the official inauguration was not held until 20 years later, in 1993. Then in 1987, the society purchased the ''Wiruna'' property near Ilford, to get away from the increasing glare of the city lights which interfered with observing.[
Meanwhile, in 1985, the society was incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act.]
The society was an early adopter of computer and communications technology, establishing their Web site in April 1995.[
]
Activities
Meetings
The society normally holds two general meetings each month.
South Pacific Star Party
Starting in 1993, the "South Pacific Star Party" (SPSP) is held each year at the Society's dark-sky observing site "Wiruna", attracting between 200 and 400 Australian and international amateur astronomers.
Publications
* ''UNIVERSE'' is the journal of the Society, published monthly since June 1964.
Observing facilities
The Society has two main observing sites where regular observing sessions are held for its members and guests:
* Wiruna (Aboriginal for "Sunset") is a site about 14km outside the country town of Ilford, 220km north-west of Sydney. The site has general observation facilities, a large hall and amenities, and it is the venue for the annual South Pacific Star Party.
* Crago Observatory
Crago Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales. It is located at Bowen Mountain, New South Wales, Bowen Mountain, near North Richmond, New South Wales, North Richmond, which is around from S ...
is a permanent observatory housed in a rotating dome, located on Bowen Mountain
Bowen Mountain is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, in the City of Hawkesbury. It is in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
The nearest commercial centre is Kurrajong, which lies approximately 5 km to the north-east.
It is n ...
, within the Blue Mountains National Park
The Blue Mountains National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The national park is situated approximately west of Sydney, and the park boundary is quite ...
near Richmond.
Both of these sites are classified as "designated optical observatories" by the Astronomical Society of Australia
The Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) is the professional body representing astronomers in Australia. Established in 1966, it is incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory. Membership of the ASA is open to people "capable of contributi ...
on the basis that they are judged to be valuable astronomical resources for research, education and community use.
Notable members' achievements
Three members of the society listed below have collectively discovered well over 500 comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
s, asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
s (minor planet
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...
s), and nova
A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...
e.
* Robert Evans
Robert Evans (born Robert J. Shapera; June 29, 1930October 26, 2019) was an American film producer, studio executive, and actor, best known for his work on '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968), '' Love Story'' (1970), ''The Godfather'' (1972), and ''Chi ...
holds the world record for the number of visual discoveries of supernova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
e by an individual amateur; , his total came to 42 visual supernova discoveries plus one comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
. Supernova 1983N, spotted by Evans in 1983 in the galaxy M83 long before it reached its peak, turned out to be the first discovery of a new type of supernova, later named Type 1b. His efforts have been recognised by the American Association of Variable Star Observers
The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) is an international nonprofit organization, founded in 1911, focused on coordinating, analyzing, publishing, and archiving variable star observations made largely by amateur astronomers. ...
awarding him their Nova/Supernova Award fifteen times, the Astronomical Society of Australia
The Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) is the professional body representing astronomers in Australia. Established in 1966, it is incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory. Membership of the ASA is open to people "capable of contributi ...
awarding their Berenice Page Medal in 1986 and the ASNSW the McNiven Medal, in 1996. He received the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
in 1988 for his contributions to science.
* Robert McNaught
Robert H. McNaught (born in Scotland in 1956) is a Scottish-Australian astronomer at the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Australian National University (ANU). He has collaborated with David J. Asher of the Armagh Observato ...
has been described as "the world's greatest comet discoverer" – he is a prolific discoverer of both asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
s and comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
s; , the International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreac ...
lists him as the discoverer of 458 minor planets,[ and NASA lists 72 comets and asteroids bearing his name.] He is perhaps best known to the public for his discovery of comet C/2006 P1
Comet McNaught, also known as the Great Comet of 2007 and given the designation C/2006 P1, is a non-periodic comet discovered on 7 August 2006 by British-Australian astronomer Robert H. McNaught using the Uppsala Southern Schmidt Telescope. ...
, also known as the "Great Comet of 2007", which was the second-brightest comet since reliable records began. He is involved in the search for Near Earth Asteroids. He was first to photograph Supernova 1987A
SN 1987A was a type II supernova in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. It occurred approximately from Earth and was the closest observed supernova since Kepler's Supernova. 1987A's light reached Earth on Febr ...
in the LMC. His close association with the ASNSW over many years includes delivering the guest lecture to the South Pacific Star Party, and he was awarded the Society's McNiven Medal, in 1997.
* Gordon Garradd has been a diligent and productive discoverer of asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
s, supernova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
e and nova
A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...
e for nearly a quarter of a century; , the International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreac ...
lists him as the discoverer of 30 minor planets.[ Mr Garradd has an asteroid named after him, 5066 Garradd, and also sixteen comets are named after him,] including C/2009 P1 which became well known in 2012 when it was photographed by the Deep Impact (spacecraft)
''Deep Impact'' was a NASA space probe launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on January 12, 2005. It was designed to study the interior composition of the comet Tempel 1 (9P/Tempel), by releasing an impactor into the comet. At 05:52 UT ...
spacecraft. He went beyond discovering these objects by also finding their astrometric positions, and he is also recognised for his search for Near Earth Asteroids using CCD imagery. He discovered four nova
A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...
e in the Large Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), or Nubecula Major, is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. At a distance of around 50 kiloparsecs (≈160,000 light-years), the LMC is the second- or third-closest galaxy to the Milky Way, after the ...
. Mr. Garradd was recognised in 1998 with the presentation of the Astronomical Society of Australia
The Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) is the professional body representing astronomers in Australia. Established in 1966, it is incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory. Membership of the ASA is open to people "capable of contributi ...
's Berenice Page Medal. He joined the Astronomical Society of NSW in 1974, and he was awarded the Society's McNiven Medal, in 1998.
* The society's ''Sydney Moonwatch'' station was the first group in the world to observe the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1
Sputnik 1 (; see § Etymology) was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It sent a radio signal back to Earth for t ...
, in October 1957 and they went on to record three of the first four Sputnik observations.[
]
See also
* List of telescopes of Australia
The list below is split between telescopes located in Australia, and telescopes sponsored by Australia such as a space telescope or foreign installation.
Australia can access the Southern skies, which was a popular trend in the 20th century (ma ...
* List of astronomical societies
A list of notable groups devoted to promoting astronomy research and education.
Africa
* African Astronomical Society
South Africa
*Astronomical Society of Southern Africa
Asia
China
* Chinese Astronomical Society
India
* Akash Mitra Mandal
*A ...
References
Further reading
*
External links
ASNSW website
*
{{Authority control
1954 establishments in Australia
Amateur astronomy organizations
Astronomy organizations
Scientific organizations established in 1954
Scientific organisations based in Australia
Astronomy in Australia