This program of four 15 minute talks focussed on total solar eclipses, was organised by the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA)'s History of Australian Astronomy Chapter (HAAC) in collaboration with the ASA Eclipse Working Group. The live event was held on Wednesday 14 October, 3.00pm – 4.45pm AEDT (UTC+11). Here are the links to the individual talks: Nick Lomb: A Tale of two Cities: Sydney 1857 and Melbourne 1976. Fred Watson: Proof of Einstein's General Relativity. Melissa Hulbert: Observing the 2002, 2012 and 2023 total solar eclipses. Kirsten Banks: Aspirations for the 2028 eclipse. Find out more and register for our next historical astronomy event on 18 November here.

Here are some useful links to publications and papers: The SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstract Service provides a gateway to current and historic online Astronomy and Physics literature. The CSIRO's Historical Records of Australian Science includes the history of astronomy in Australia and New Zealand. The Royal Society of New South Wales Journal and Proceedings includes astronomy in its on-line historic database of papers and abstracts of doctoral theses. The index is available here. The Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage publishes refereed research papers, review papers, short communications, IAU reports, and book reviews on all aspects of astronomical history and heritage. The Journal for the History of Astronomy is devoted to the history of astronomy from earliest times to the present and to the broader cultural affiliations of astronomy. PUBLICATIONS LIST The following list is in date order (latest first). It is only the beginning of the resources the HAAC Chapter is creating to help researchers. Date: 2026 Author: De Grijs, R. Title: Mars in the Australian Press, 1875-1899: interpretation, authority and planetary science. Journal: Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 29(1). Link: doi:10.3724/sp.j.1440-2807.2026.01.10. Abstract (excerpt): In the late nineteenth century, Mars emerged as one of the most intensively reported astronomical objects in the popular press, driven by favourable oppositions, improved telescopic capabilities and growing speculation regarding planetary habitability. This paper examines how Mars was interpreted in Australian newspapers between the 1870s and 1899, focusing on the ways in which astronomical knowledge was framed, contextualised and debated within a colonial media environment. Drawing on a large collection of digitised newspaper articles from the National Library of Australia, this study analyses how observational authority, instrumental credibility and individual expertise were harnessed in press reporting. The paper situates Australian Mars coverage within a global network of scientific communication dominated by metropolitan centres in Europe and North America, while highlighting the distinctive role played by Southern-Hemisphere visibility. Australian observatories and observers—most notably Robert Ellery, Henry Russell and Walter Gale—were frequently positioned as contributors of confirmatory observation rather than interpretive leadership, reinforcing a pattern of locally grounded but internationally oriented scientific engagement. Two other related papers: Mars in the Australian press, 1875─1899. 1: Interpretation, authority and planetary science https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026JAHH...29..190G/abstract (or https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.22905) Mars excitement in Australian newspapers, 1877–1899: Humour and the public negotiation of astronomical knowledge: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c39q9gx (or https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.22906) Date: 2026 Author: Stevenson, T., McMorrow, K. Title: Eclipsed but not forgotten: two lesser-known Australian expeditions to the 1922 total solar eclipse. Journal: Historical Records of Australian Science 37, HR25013. Link: https://doi.org/10.1071/HR25013 Abstract: When the centenary of the 1922 eclipse was celebrated in 2022, the focus was the absolute proof of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity achieved at Wallal in Western Australia by the Crocker expedition that had been led by William Campbell, the director of the Lick Observatory in California. This paper provides case studies of two lesser-known 1922 expeditions. The first case study is the Adelaide Observatory expedition to a remote sheep station called Cordillo Downs, located near the north-east corner of South Australia. This was the base for the expedition organised by South Australian Government Astronomer, George Dodwell. The second case study is that of the University of Sydney’s expedition to Goondiwindi in southern Queensland, organised by physics professor Oscar Ulrich Vonwiller under the auspices of New South Wales Government Astronomer, William Ernest Cooke. We examine how Adelaide Observatory and the University of Sydney prepared for the eclipse, organised instrument loans and brought together, and relied upon, people with different expertise, including First Nations people and two women scientists. Despite limited resources, preparation time and only minutes in which to perform total eclipse experiments and make observations, there were both successes and failures. We reveal British influence and the extent of the Australian Government’s involvement via a Commonwealth Eclipse Committee–one of the unique aspects of this eclipse. As well as referring to photographs and archival documents, this paper examines the instruments each party used and the glass plate negatives taken at Cordillo Downs to test General Relativity, and where they are now located. Date: 2025 Author: Watson F. Title: S. C. B. ‘Ben’ Gascoigne 1915–2010. Journal: Historical Records of Australian Science 36, HR24034. Link: https://doi.org/10.1071/HR24034 Abstract: Professor Sidney Charles Bartholomew Gascoigne AO, FAA (1915–2010) was an Aotearoa New Zealand-born astronomer whose distinguished career was carried out mostly in Australia. Known to all as Ben Gascoigne, his warm personality and many contributions to Australian optical astronomy made him a respected and much-loved elder statesman of the science. His work on the development and commissioning of the Anglo-Australian Telescope (opened in 1974) is held in particularly high regard. In retirement, Ben took on a new career, supporting his wife Rosalie as she found fame as one of Australia’s most prominent artists. Date: 2025 Author: Watson, F. Title: Celebrating a golden age Journal: Astronomy & Geophysics, Volume 66, Issue 1, February 2025, Pages 1.34–1.37, Link: https://doi.org/10.1093/astrogeo/atae085 Abstract: On its 50th anniversary, we revisit the Anglo-Australian Telescope. Date: 2025 Author: Hughes, N.J. Title: Louise Webster: Adelaide's Black Hole Pioneer Journal: Astronomical Society of South Australia Link: Abstract: Betty Louise Turtle (née Webster) was born 20th May 1941 and raised in Adelaide, South Australia. After gaining her Ph.D. Louise worked at the Royal Greenwich Observatory at Herstmonceux, Sussex. It was there in 1971 that she and Paul Murdin were the first astronomers to discover a black hole. After a stint in South Africa Louise returned to Australia, initially working at Siding Spring observatory and then moving in 1978 to the University of New South Wales as a tutor in the School of Physics. Louise published widely and her papers were often cited by other astronomers. In 1989 she was appointed head of the Department of Astrophysics and Optics. Louise died in 1990 and is buried in Adelaide. Despite her significant achievements Louise is not well known. This essay aims to correct this deficiency. Date: 2024 Author: Watson, F. Title: A telescope for a Golden Age. Journal: Australian Geographic, October 2024. Link: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2024/10/a-telescope-for-a-golden-age/ Abstract: After a stellar 50 years as one of the country’s major scientific assets, the Anglo-Australian Telescope continues to play a major role in keeping Australian astronomy on the world stage. Date: 2024 Author/s: Wendt, H., George, M., Orchiston, W. Title: The history of early low frequency radio astronomy in Australia: Reber, Higgins and the mooted all-sky survey with the Shain Cross. Journal (publication): Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 27, 3, p.p. 655-673. Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024JAHH...27..655W Abstract: During the 1950s and 1960s, Australia was a world leader in the specialised field of low frequency radio astronomy, with two geographically distinct areas of activity. One was in the Sydney region run by the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics (RP), and the other was on the island of Tasmania to the south of the Australian mainland, undertaken by the radio astronomy pioneer Grote Reber, and researchers for the University of Tasmania. This paper deals with Reber's interactions with RP, his unpublished research based on observations taken by Charlie Higgins using the 19.7 MHz Shain Cross in August 1960 and Reber's unsuccessful efforts to lobby for RP to complete a southern sky survey using the Shain Cross. Tags: Radio Astronomy Date: 2024 Authors: Lomb, N., Orchiston, W., Jacob, A. Journal: Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, vol. 157, part 2, 2024, pp. 173–190. ISSN 0035-9173/24/020173-18 Title: George Denton Hirst: a remarkable Sydney amateur astronomer. Abstract: Australian businessman George Denton Hirst was a prominent amateur astronomer for four decades. He was an observer at the 1874 transit of Venus, and he also successfully observed a transit of Mercury in 1894. He observed the planets Mars and Venus and made micrometric measurements of double stars. Thanks to his superb drawing skills, his drawings of Jupiter at opposition brought him to international prominence. Hirst joined a number of scientific societies, starting with the Royal Society of New South Wales, to which he enthusiastically contributed papers in astronomy and in another interest, microscopy. Not only did Hirst contribute papers, but he was always willing to serve on committees, as a member, as a secretary, as chair or as president. Date: 2023. Author/s: Fuller, R. S. and Hamacher, D. W. Title: The Astronomy of the Aboriginal Peoples of the Sydney Basin Book: Essays on Astronomical History and Heritage. A Tribute to Wayne Orchiston on his 80th Birthday. New York, NY: Springer New York, 2023, pp. 635-659 Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023eahh.book..635F Abstract: We present results of a preliminary study of the astronomical knowledge and traditions of the seven major Aboriginal language groups in the Sydney Basin. We establish a basic dataset of oral traditions (stories), vocabulary, and examples of cultural heritage relating to astronomical traditions. Using a combination of primarily ethno-historical documents and material culture, we explore the relationship between Aboriginal astronomical knowledge and cultural traditions, cosmology, natural resources, calendar development, law, ceremony, and material traditions. We conduct a thematic analysis of the collected information and place this within a larger framework of comparative analysis with other Aboriginal communities in south-eastern Australia in general. Tags: Indigenous Astronomy Date: 2023 Author/s: Goss, W. M., Hooker, C., Ekers, R. D., and Pawsey, J. L., Title: Joe Pawsey and the founding of Australian radio astronomy: early discoveries, from the sun to the cosmos. Book: Cham: Springer International Publishing. OCLC: 1363828567 Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023jpfa.book.....G Abstract: This open access book is a biography of Joseph L. Pawsey. It examines not only his life but the birth and growth of the field of radio astronomy and the state of science itself in twentieth century Australia. The book explains how an isolated continent with limited resources grew to be one of the leaders in the study of radio astronomy and the design of instruments to do so. Pawsey made a name for himself in the international astronomy community within a decade after WWII and coined the term radio astronomy. He recruited young scientists who became the technical and methodological innovators of the era, building new telescopes from the Mills Cross and Chris (Christiansen) Cross to the Parkes radio telescope… Tags: Biographies; Obituaries; Radio astronomy Date: 2023 Author/s: Lomb, N., Stevenson, T. Title: Eclipse Chasers Book: CSIRO Publishing Link: https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/8098/ Abstract: Eclipse Chasers is a guide to past and future Australian total solar eclipses, exploring historical and cultural knowledge... The science of eclipses is explained, as well as how to prepare for an eclipse and view it safely. For upcoming eclipses the best locations to view each one are revealed, alongside tips for taking photographs. The book also reveals untold stories of how past Australian astronomers observed the total eclipses that have occurred since European settlement, and how these eclipses were celebrated in popular culture, poetry and art. It explores the great significance of solar eclipses for First Nations peoples, and their observations and cultural meanings. Tags: Solar eclipses, astronomers, women in astronomy Date: 2023 Author: Stevenson, T. Title: Melbourne Observatory's Astrographic women: star measurers and computers Journal: Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 26, 2, p.p. 325-338. Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023JAHH...26..325S Abstract: In Australia a significant number of women were employed to measure, log and calculate the position of stars for the Astrographic Catalogue at Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Observatories…This paper provides a background to the social, legal and gender-specific barriers women faced and then focuses on the first women employed at Melbourne Observatory to measure the stars on glass plate negatives and calculate their relative positions. Charlotte Peel, Lillian Lewis, Muriel Heagney and Sarah Noonan, who worked for various periods of time on the Astrographic Catalogue between 1898 and 1918, are case studied… Tags: Women in astronomy, Observatories Date: 2022 Author: de Grijs, R. Title: Gravitational conundrum: confusing clock-rate measurements on the 'First Fleet' from England to Australia. Journal: Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 25, 4, p.p. 737-744. Link where available): https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022JAHH...25..737D Abstract: Voyages of exploration often included astronomers among their crew to aid with maritime navigation. William Dawes, a British Marine who had been trained in practical astronomy, was assigned to the 'First Fleet', a convoy of eleven ships that left England in May 1787 bound for Botany Bay (Sydney, Australia). Dawes was also expected to take measurements of the local gravitational acceleration, g, at any port of call by measuring the daily rate by which his Shelton pendulum clock differed from that at Greenwich, its calibration location. Although Dawes and Nevil Maskelyne, Britain's fifth Astronomer Royal, had planned to obtain clock-rate… Tags: Colonial Era (pre-1901) Date: 2021 Author/s: Graham, A. W., Kenyon, K. H., Bull, L. J., Lokuge Don, V. C., and Kuhlmann, K., Title: History of Astronomy in Australia: Big-Impact Astronomy from World War II until the Lunar Landing (1945–1969) Journal: Galaxies, 9, 2, article id. 24, 2021 Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021Galax...9...24G Abstract: Radio astronomy commenced in earnest after World War II, with Australia keenly engaged through the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. At this juncture, Australia's Commonwealth Solar Observatory expanded its portfolio from primarily studying solar phenomena to conducting stellar and extragalactic research. Subsequently, in the 1950s and 1960s, astronomy gradually became taught and researched in Australian universities. However, most scientific publications from this era of growth and discovery have no country of affiliation in their header information... In 2014, we used the then-new Astrophysics Data System (ADS) tool Bumblebee to overcome this challenge and track down the Australian-led astronomy papers published…after World War II, from 1945 until the lunar landing in 1969… Tags: Radio astronomy, Women in astronomy Date: 2020 Author: Lomb, N. Title: Australia and the International Astronomical Union: the 1973 Sydney general assembly Journal: Historical Records of Australian Science 31, 118-126. Link: https://doi.org/10.1071/HR20004 Abstract: Formed in 1919, the International Astronomical Union is the international body representing professional astronomers. Australia joined the union soon after its formation but, due to financial difficulties, dropped out for a few years until re-joining just before World War 2…After Australia’s bid to host a general assembly in 1967 or 1970 was unsuccessful, another bid was made for 1973. This second bid was accepted by the union’s executive council and confirmed in a letter from the union’s general secretary. The five years of planning and organisation for the assembly were made difficult by several external threats…Despite this and other problems, the 1973 general assembly was regarded as highly successful. Related website: https://asa.astronomy.org.au/ Tags: Astronomical Society of Australia Date: 2016 Authors: George, M., Orchiston, W., Slee, B., and Wielebinski, R., Title: The early history of low frequency radio astronomy in Australia: Michael Bessell and the University of Tasmania's Richmond field station near Hobart. Journal: Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 185–194, 2016. Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016JAHH...19..185G Abstract: Following some initial research in Tasmania between 1955 and 1957, notably by Graeme Ellis and Grote Reber, low frequency radio astronomy became a significant activity of the University of Tasmania from the early 1960s, with the main aims being to study the radio Milky Way and Jupiter's decametric emissions. Although locations very close to Hobart Airport were to see the majority of this work, in the early to mid-1960s lowfrequency antenna arrays were set up and used by the University at nearby Penna and Richmond. This paper describes the erection and use of the Richmond arrays, which in 1962±1963 operated at a site 1 km north of the town of Richmond, and at frequencies of 2.35, 1.55 and 1.03 MHz Date: 2015 Author: Lomb, N. Title: How Astronomers Focused the Scope of their Discussions: The Formation of the Astronomical Society of Australia. Journal: Historical Records of Australian Science 26, 36-57. Link: https://doi.org/10.1071/HR14030 Abstract: Scientific societies provide an important forum for scientists to meet and exchange ideas. In the early days of European settlement in Australia the few people interested in the sciences joined together to form societies that embraced all their individual disciplines. From 1888 the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science with its different sections allowed a growing number of astronomers to share meetings only with researchers in the closely allied fields of mathematics and physics. Eventually, all three of these groups formed their own societies with the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) being the last in 1966… Related website: https://asa.astronomy.org.au/ Tags: Astronomical Society of Australia Date: 2014 Author: Stevenson, T. Title: Making Visible the First Women in Astronomy in Australia: The Measurers and Computers Employed for the Astrographic Catalogue Journal: Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, Volume 31. Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014PASA...31...18S Abstract: In Australia a significant number of women were employed to measure and compute the position of stars for the Astrographic Catalogue at Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Observatories. New archival research has provided evidence that the first women employed in astronomy in Australia were engaged due to this project. Tags: Women in astronomy, Observatories Date: 2010 Author/s: Haynes, R., Haynes, R. D., Malin, D., and McGee, R., Title: Explorers of the Southern Sky Book: Cambridge University Press Link: https://www.cambridge.org/au/universitypress/subjects/physics/history-philosophy-and-foundations-physics/explorers-southern-sky-history-australian-astronomy Contents: 1. Dreaming the stars; 2. Sailing south for a new sky; 3. Astronomy in Sydney town; 4. The struggle for independence; 5. A bid for fame; 6. For love of the subject; 7. Astronomy on a national basis; 8. From swords to ploughshares; 9. Radio astronomy and the big telescopes; 10. Entrepreneurs in astronomy; 11. The advantage of latitude; 12. The high-energy frontier; 13. Diversity through innovation; 14. Optical astronomy goes high tech; 15. A telescope as wide as a continent; Glossary of abbreviations; Glossary of scientific and technical words; Bibliography; Tags: Observatories, Radio astronomy, Indigenous astronomy Date: 2010 Author: Watson, F. Title: Obituary: Sidney Charles Bartholomew 'Ben' Gascoigne (1915 - 2010). Journal: The Observatory Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010Obs...130..274W Abstract: n/a Tags: Biographies, Obituaries Date: 2004 Author: Lomb, N. Title: The Instruments from Parramatta Observatory Journal: Historical Records of Australian Science, 15, 2, pp. 211-222 Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004HRAuS..15..211L Abstract: Sydney Observatory, Australia's oldest existing observatory, was built in 1858 on what is now called Observatory Hill. With such a long continuous history the Observatory has a good collection of astronomical instruments relating to its own history. Moreover, the collection extends further back to Parramatta Observatory, set up in 1821 by Governor Sir Thomas Brisbane. After the closure of that observatory in 1847 its instruments were retained in the colony and given to the fledgling Sydney Observatory on its establishment… This paper discusses the use of these instruments at Parramatta and their subsequent fate at Sydney Observatory. Related source: Powerhouse collection: https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/ Tags: Observatories, Colonial Era (pre-1901) Date: 2003 Author: Orchiston, W. Title: Passion and patronage: The Afro-Australian astronomy of Robert Thorburn Ayton Innes. Journal: Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of South Africa, vol. 62, p. 8, 2003. Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/scan/manifest/2003MNSSA..62....8O?art=true Date: 2000 Author: Utting, M Title: Astronomy in Western Australia Volume 3: 1940-1962 Published by the Perth Observatory ISBN 0-646-39450-9 Abstract: This book details the work of the Perth Observatory between 1940 and 1962 under the Government Astronomer Hyman Solomon Spigl. It details a torrid period of political, financial and societal changes where staffing levels were the lowest in the Observatory’s history. It’s culmination was Spigl’s death and the first to keep the Observatory open before its relocation from the CBD to the Perth Hills. Date: 1999 Author/s: Watson, F., Bell, R. Title: 25 years at the AAT. Journal: Astronomy Now, 13, pp. 22-25. Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1999AsNow..13...22W Abstract: n/a Tags: Observatories Date: 1994 Author: Edwards, P. G. Title: The Adelaide Observatory after Todd Journal: Astronomical Society of Australia, Proceedings, 11, 2, p.p. 206-210 Link: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1994PASA...11..206E Abstract: Charles Todd, who established the Adelaide Observatory on West Terrace in 1860, retired as Government Astronomer at the end of 1906. In 1908 the meteorological duties of the Observatory were taken over by the Commonwealth, and the Observatory lost most of its staff. Following the promotion of George Dodwell to the position of Government Astronomer in 1909, the Observatory was slowly re-established and undertook a range of astronomical and other work, which is described in detail in this paper. The Observatory was transferred to the University of Adelaide in 1940. Dodwell finished working as Government Astronomer in 1952. Tags: Observatories Date: 1993 Author: Edwards, P. G. Title: Charles Todd and the Adelaide Observatory Journal: Proceedings of the Astronomical Society of Australia, Vol. 10, Issue 4, p. 349 Link: 10.1017/S1323358000026023 Abstract: Charles Todd was the first Government Astronomer and Superintendent of Telegraphs in South Australia. Most widely known for his instrumental role in the construction of the Overland Telegraph, linking Australia and England, Todd also established the Adelaide Observatory and made valuable contributions to both astronomy and meteorology. Tags: Observatories Date: 1993 Author: Utting, M Title: Astronomy in Western Australia Volume 2: 1912-1940 Published by the Perth Observatory ISBN 0-86905-249-7 Abstract: This book details the work of the Perth Observatory between 1912 and 1940 under the Government Astronomer Harold Burham Curlewis. The main work of the Observatory at this time was the continuation of the Astrographic Catalogue including a catalogue on double stars. However, his surveying background saw him involved in defining the South Australian and Western Australian borders. The advent of the Great War & Depression was to bring its challenges. Date: 1992 Author: Utting, M Title: Astronomy in Western Australia Volume 1: 1896-1912 Published by the Perth Observatory ISBN 0-7309-5438-2 Abstract: This book details the work of the Perth Observatory between its foundation in 1896 and 1912 under Western Australia’s first Government Astronomer, William Ernest Cooke. The initial work of the Observatory was meteorology. By 1901, the Observatory accepted zones within the Astrographic Catalogue project which would become its primary work, although time, tides, seismology, teaching of surveying & geodesy and weather were factored into its workload where time permitted. Date: 1991 Author: Utting, M Title: Windows to the Southern Skies Published by Murdoch University and the Perth Observatory, Western Australia Abstract: This 40-page booklet covers early astronomy in Western Australia including European visitors, British settlement and the move for the Perth Observatory’s foundation. Date: 1989 Author: Utting, M Title: Cooke’s Perth Observatory Published by the Government Printer, Western Australia Abstract: This 22-page booklet was the first publication by the Observatory’s Honorary Historian detailing aspects of its foundation and first Government Astronomer William Ernest Cooke. Date: 1988 Author: Orchiston, W. Title: Illuminating Incidents in Antipodean Astronomy - Phillip Parker King and the Founding of Sydney Observatory Published by Vistas in Astronomy, vol. 32, no. 3, Elsevier, pp. 285–301, 1988. Link: doi:10.1016/0083-6656(88)90413-8.

Our second annual workshop will be held on Wednesday 18 November 2026, 2:00 to 4:30pm AEDT (UTC+11). It is open to members and non-members of the ASA and the Chapter and is free of charge, all you have to do is register. Program 1:45 pm Attendees can join 2pm - 2:10 Introduction by Nick Lomb 2:10 - 2:30 Marcus Chown: Black hole discoverer whose name has vanished down a metaphorical black hole 2:35 - 2:50 Kerrie Dougherty: Up, Up and Away: early balloon-borne and sounding rocket astronomy in Australia 2:55 - 3:10 Jack Foster: How to use a transit telescope. 3:15 - 3:30 Richard de Grijs: How Australians Imagined Mars, 1875–1899 3:35 - 3:50 Harry Wendt: The Discovery of Radio Emission from Flare Stars 3:55 - 4:10 Fred Watson: Grubb Down-Under - A 160-year Scientific Odyssey 4:10 - 4:30 Discussion and closing remarks. PROGRAM ABSTRACTS Invited address by Marcus Chown Title: Black hole discoverer whose name has vanished down a metaphorical black hole Abstract: There have been three Nobel prizes for black holes. Yet none of the awards has acknowledged the co-discoverers of the objects: Louise Webster and Paul Murdin. This is the story of how, in 1971, Louise and Paul found themselves sharing an office in an octagonal turret of a 16th-century moated castle in the southeast England and how Louise became the co-discoverer of the black hole in Cygnus X-1, one of the most significant findings in the history of astronomy. Bio: Marcus Chown is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. Formerly a radio astronomer at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, his books include The Ascent of Gravity, which was The Sunday Times Science Book of the Year; Breakthrough; Infinity in the Palm of Your Hand, What A Wonderful World; Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You; Felicity Frobisher and the Three-Headed Aldebaran Dust Devil; and We Need to Talk About Kelvin and Afterglow of Creation, which were both runner-up for the Royal Society Book Prize. His latest book, A Crack in Everything, was described as “downright poetic” by the New York Times. Kerrie Dougherty Title: Up, Up and Away: early balloon-borne and sounding rocket astronomy in Australia Abstract: Placing instruments into the upper atmosphere allows astronomers to study the cosmos in wavelengths largely blocked to ground observations. Even before the launch of the first satellites during the International Geophysical Year (1957-58), space astronomy commenced after World War 2 with the development of high-altitude balloons and sounding rockets. In Australia, University of Melbourne trailblazing female physicist Dr. Jean Laby pioneered scientific ballooning from the early 1950s, with the first Australian Balloon Launch Station established in Mildura in 1960. Later in the 1950s, the Weapons Research Establishment and the Royal Society’s Gassiot Committee developed sounding rockets that were launched from Woomera to support defence and civilian space research, including space astronomy. This presentation will outline the early history of space astronomy in Australia using balloons and sounding rockets, from 1950-1990. This period laid the foundations for local scientific ballooning and was associated with significant discoveries in X-ray astronomy. Bio: Kerrie Dougherty OAM is Senior Heritage and Outreach officer at the Australian Space Agency. She is a space historian, curator, educator and outreach specialist. Kerrie is the author of Australia in Space, and an elected Member of the International Academy of Astronautics, serving on its History of Astronautics and Space Museums Committees. Between 2001 and 2024, she was a lecturer in the International Space University’s Space Humanities Department. Jack Foster Title: How to use a Transit Circle Abstract: The Troughton & Simms Transit Circle that sits in the Transit Room of the Sydney Observatory has been sitting there since 1877. It was used for a little over 100 years for time determination and positional astronomy, but now it sits alone, unused, and misunderstood. In preparation for its upcoming 150th birthday on the 3rd of February 2027, this talk attempts to put the audience in the shoes of the observer and explain the step-by-step process one would follow to make an observation with the Transit Circle; because the greatest birthday present of all, is to be understood. Bio: Jack Foster is a Project Assistant at the Powerhouse Museum. In this role, he researches the Sydney Observatory and the former functions of the site to assist with his development of Sydney Observatory's Conservation Management Plan—a document that will guide future decision making for the site. Jack once spent his birthday travelling for 3 hours via tram, train, bus, and funicular to an abandoned meridian marker of the Neuchâtel Observatory in Switzerland. That anecdote gives you an idea of the type of man Jack is—he likes his historic astronomical objects. Richard de Grijs Title: How Australians Imagined Mars, 1875–1899 Abstract: Between 1875 and 1899, Australian newspapers published more than a thousand articles about Mars. Drawing on a newly assembled database of colonial newspaper coverage, this talk examines how Australian readers encountered and interpreted one of the nineteenth century's most celebrated astronomical controversies: the putative canals of Mars. Far from merely reproducing overseas reports, Australian newspapers adapted, debated and often humorously reframed claims made by astronomers such as Giovanni Schiaparelli, Percival Lowell and William Pickering. The resulting coverage reveals a scientifically engaged colonial public that actively assessed astronomical ideas through local experience, engineering projects and everyday reasoning. This presentation explores how Mars became a cultural touchstone in the Australian colonies and argues that newspaper reporting offers a valuable window into the public life of astronomy in the decades before Federation. Bio: Richard de Grijs is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Macquarie University. Alongside his astrophysics research, he works on the history of astronomy and maritime science. His recent publications include studies of Mars in the Australian press, time signals and observatories, and biographies of William Dawes and Samuel Ward Flinders. He is Past President of Division C (Education, Outreach and Heritage) of the International Astronomical Union, is actively involved in heritage interpretation at the Australian National Maritime Museum and serves on the Board of the La Perouse Museum. Harry Wendt Title: The Discovery of Radio Emission from Flare Stars Abstract: This talk examines how a Cold War satellite-tracking network, amateur astronomers in suburban Sydney, and two radio observatories a world apart proved that small red stars shout in radio waves. Could a star other than the Sun ever be detected at radio wavelengths? In the late 1950s, that question drove two independent research programs, one at Jodrell Bank under Bernard Lovell, the other at CSIRO's Division of Radiophysics under Bruce Slee, into a five-year hunt for radio bursts from flare stars: faint, magnetically active M-dwarfs capable of brightening by several magnitudes in seconds to minutes. Both efforts converged on the same conclusion, which was published in Nature within months of each other in 1963. This is a case study in parallel discovery, amateur-professional collaboration, and a pointed reminder of why primary-source history still matters, even (especially) in the age of AI. Bio: Dr Harry Wendt is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of Southern Queensland, Centre for Astrophysics. He has a long-standing interest in early Australian radio astronomy. Harry has since published a series of papers based upon his thesis and subsequent research. He also co-authored the book Four Pillars of Radio Astronomy: Mills, Christiansen, Wild, Bracewell and is a member of the IAU Working Group on Historical Radio Astronomy and the History of Australian Astronomy Chapter of the Astronomical Society of Australia. Harry has a 28-year career in banking; he worked in the computer industry and spent eight years as an aircrew officer in the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm. His interest in astronomy was first kindled while learning to navigate using a sextant. Fred Watson Title: Grubb Down-Under - A 160-year Scientific Odyssey Abstract: In 1866, the 21-year-old Dublin engineer Howard Grubb embarked on his first major project – the 48-inch Great Melbourne Telescope (GMT). That ill-fated instrument was not only a milestone in Australian astronomy but also heralded a long series of successful optical telescopes manufactured in Ireland by the Grubb company and in Britain by its successor Grubb Parsons until the final closure in 1985. The last for Australia – the 3.9-metre Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) – was completed in 1974 and remains the nation’s largest. Astronomer Fred Watson is uniquely qualified to tell the story of the people who created Australia’s most significant optical astronomy facilities and propelled them to global prominence. Inspired by the GMT while still at school, he worked for Grubb Parsons in the 1960s on space- and ground-based telescopes, including preparations for the AAT. Twenty-five years later he became the AAT’s Astronomer-in-Charge after a research career using the company’s largest telescopes overseas. Bio: Fred Watson AM is an honorary professor of astronomy advocacy and engagement at Macquarie University. From 2018 to 2024, he was the Australian Government’s first Astronomer-at-Large, having served for the previous 20 years as the Astronomer-in-Charge of the Australian Astronomical Observatory and before that working at Britain’s two Royal Observatories. He led several projects in advanced astronomical instrumentation and spectroscopic surveys and today is involved in both the history and future of Australian astronomy. He is perhaps best known in Australia for his award-winning radio and TV broadcasts, books, music and dark-sky advocacy – and internationally for the Space Nuts podcast.

Committee Members HAAC was established in July 2025 to share knowledge on the history of Australian astronomy with astronomers, historians, curators, students and people connected to the history of astronomy from most states and territories of Australia. From this group a representative provisional committee was formed. In March 2026 a formal election was held with assistance from the ASA. HAAC members voted to elect the steering committee members. The Chair position, nominated by Nick Lomb, and the Student Representative position, nominated by Stephanie Rossini-Bryson, were unopposed. At the first steering committee meeting held 25 March 2026 the committee elected the required roles. Chair (2026-2028): Nick Lomb (Vic) Secretary (2026-2028): Toner Stevenson (NSW) Media Co-ordinator (2026-2027): Brenan Dew (SA) Webmaster (2026-2027): Dirk Goës (NSW) Committee members (2026-2028): Craig Bowers (WA), Martin George (Tas) Committee member (2026-2027): Mark Rigby (Qld) Student representative (2026-2027): Stephanie Rossini-Bryson (NSW)

Newsletters Newsletter March 2026

Parramatta Observatory Sir Thomas Brisbane, then governor of NSW, established Parramatta Observatory in 1821. Initially, its astronomers observed star positions with a transit telescope that provided right ascensions and a mural circle that provided star declinations. A transit circle, an instrument that combined the functions of the earlier instruments, arrived in 1835. Made by Thomas Jones of London, it was placed asymmetrically between two piers. These piers, as shown, are the only extant remains of Parramatta Observatory. Photo Nick Lomb Sydney Observatory Sydney Observatory began operating in 1858, with the Reverend William Scott as the first government astronomer. It is located on Observatory Hill, which is the highest point in central Sydney. The location was chosen so that its time ball could be seen from as much of Sydney Harbour as possible. The observatory is now under the auspices of the Powerhouse Museum. Photo Nick Lomb Melbourne Observatory Melbourne Observatory was established in 1863 under the supervision of Government Astronomer Robert L. J. Ellery. The observatory’s variety of instruments included the famous Great Melbourne Telescope. Two of its instruments were, and still are, in the two domes pictured. The left dome contains an 8-inch (20-cm) lens telescope by the London makers Troughton & Simms, while the other dome holds the Dallmeyer photoheliograph, an instrument designed to take photos of the Sun. Photo Nick Lomb The photoheliograph at Melbourne Observatory The photoheliograph, an instrument designed to photograph the Sun, in a dome at Melbourne Observatory. London instrument maker, John Henry Dallmeyer made this and a number of similar instruments for the 1874 transit of Venus. One of the other photoheliographs went to Sydney Observatory. Although back in its original location, the photoheliograph is privately owned by a senior member of the amateur group, Astronomical Society of Victoria. Photo Nick Lomb Perth Observatory Perth Observatory began operations in 1896 with William Ernest Cooke as its first government astronomer. It was situated on Mt Eliza that overlooks the city of Perth. In the 1960s it was demolished and the observatory transferred to Bickley, about 25 km east of Perth. The residence of the government astronomer remains, as shown. Photo Nick Lomb The dome of the Lowell telescope at Perth Observatory The dome of the Lowell telescope at Perth Observatory is raised nine metres above the ground. The elevation above the surrounding bush improves the telescope’s images by ensuring a smooth flow of air. The telescope was officially opened in 1971 and belongs to the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, USA. Among other research, astronomers using the telescope were the co-discovers of the rings around the planet Uranus in 1977. Photo Nick Lomb John Tebbutt's home observatory John Tebbutt (1834–1916) was a well-known amateur astronomer with an observatory at his home in the town of Windsor, just outside Sydney. He became internationally famous with his discoveries of the Great Comet of 1861, followed up with the discovery of another bright comet 20 years later. Tebbutt’s largest telescope was an 8-inch (20-cm) Grubb lens telescope. After Tebbutt’s death in 1916 the telescope had a number of locations, including over 40 years in New Zealand. It is now back in its original location, in the pictured dome. Photo Nick Lomb Ballarat Observatory Ballarat observatory opened in 1886 as the first municipal observatory in Australia. Its largest telescope is a locally-built 26-inch (66-cm) Newtonian reflector. Shown is the Observatory’s Jelbart dome containing a 5-inch (13-cm) Cooke lens telescope. Photo Nick Lomb Mt Stromlo Observatory The main telescope at Mt Stromlo Observatory was a 74-inch (1.9-m) reflecting telescope. It was opened in 1955 and remained the largest in Australia until the Anglo-Australian telescope began operations in 1975. The telescope was housed in this dome but was unfortunately destroyed in the Stromlo fire of 2003. Photo Nick Lomb The Carnegie image-tube spectrograph The Carnegie image-tube spectrograph at the Cassegrain focus of the Mount Stromlo 74-inch (1.9-m) reflector in 1968. Below is the lifting mechanism that allowed observers to operate instruments at that focus and track with the telescope. Photo Nick Lomb The control desk of the Mount Stromlo 74-inch (1.9-m) reflector The control desk of the Mount Stromlo 74-inch (1.9-m) reflector in 1968, used by the night assistants. Further Mt Stromlo historical images are available at https://archives.anu.edu.au/exhibitions/through-adversity-stars-100-years-mount-stromlo-observatory. Photo Nick Lomb Great Melbourne Telescope Mount Stromlo Observatory purchased Melbourne Observatory’s Great Melbourne Telescope in 1940. The massive polar axis and other parts were then utilised in a new 50-inch (1.3-m) telescope. The 2003 Mt Stromlo fire telescope destroyed the telescope and many other instruments and buildings at the observatory. The photo was taken soon after the fire. Photo Nick Lomb The burnt-out parts of the Great Melbourne Telescope In 2008, the burnt-out parts of the Great Melbourne Telescope were brought back to Melbourne. There the Museum of Victoria and a dedicated team of volunteers from the Astronomical Society of Victoria are working to restore the telescope. The restoration project is continuing, but the now reassembled telescope can be seen at Scienceworks, Melbourne. Photo Nick Lomb Parkes Radio Telescope / Murriyang The Parkes Radio Telescope, now also known by the Wiradjuri name of Murriyang, has been observing the radio sky at Parkes, NSW since 1961. In its early days, the telescope’s most famous activity was receiving the TV transmission of the first footsteps on the Moon in 1969 and relaying the signal world-wide. Many historic pictures of this and other Australian radio telescopes are available at https://www.atnf.csiro.au/resources/imagearchive/. Photo Nick Lomb Anglo-Australian Telescope The 3.9 Anglo-Australian Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory pictured in 2012. This telescope, built jointly by the British and Australian governments, began regular scheduled operations in June 1975. A consortium of Australian universities now manage the telescope but its name has been left unchanged. Photo Nick Lomb The control desk of the Anglo-Australian Telescope The control desk of the Anglo-Australian Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory, pictured in 2012. The AAT was the first large telescope under computer control. Photo Nick Lomb The Fleurs Radio Telescope The Fleurs radio telescope was at Badgery’s Creek, just outside Sydney. It originally consisted of 32 dishes, each of 5.8-m diameter, spread over east-west and north-south arms. After CSIRO transferred ownership to the University of Sydney, new larges dishes were added and the instrument became the Fleurs Synthesis Telescope. The photo shows some of the original dishes. Photo Nick Lomb The opening of the Australia Telescope in September 1988 The opening of the Australia Telescope in September 1988. The core of the radio telescope is the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) at Narrabri, NSW. Four of ATCA’s six 22-m dishes are shown in the image. Photo Nick Lomb The Emu in the Sky The emu in the sky. The head of the emu is the Coalsack nebula, the Southern Cross (Crux) is directly above. Below is the emu engraving at the Elvina engraving site, in Kuring-Gai Chase National Park, near Sydney. Credit: Barnaby Norris & Ray Norris