Paul Wild Observatory at Narrabri Ron Ekers 26 Sep 2017 Csiro astronomy and space science

Solar Heliograph at Narrabri 1967 50 Solar Heliograph at Narrabri 1967 Paul Wild Paul Wild Head solar group, Chief Radiophysics, Chairman CSIRO, Australian fast train project $563,000 US Ford Foundation $513,000 Australian Commonwealth Government 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Narrabri Opening 22 Sep 1967 John Gorton PM 1968-1971 Opened by the Science Minister, Senator Gorton 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Narrabri or Culgoora? U. Sydney – CSIRO Hanbury-Brown Paul Wild 1963 1967 Stellar interferometer 1963 Remaining mirrors in the Nandewar Motor Inn 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Solar Heliograph 1967-1984 1 dual pol 2D image per second 60 x 60 images J2 synthesis Left circular(red) Right circular (blue) Solved the problem of the evolution of type II and III solar bursts New picture for type IV bursts One dual polarization 60x60 two-dimensional image per second 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Australian Synthesis Telescope (AST) Proposed 1975, 1978 Parkes 64m 4-6 x 25m dishes, 1.2km baselines $6m Not funded not sufficiently ambitious! Note that the concept of using this as a compound interferometer with a PAF on Parkes would have been very powerful and innovative but at this time even a multi-beam receivers on Parkes was not considered realistic. The 1978 revision had 14-16 15m antennas, 12 fixed (copying WSRT) no NS baseline, and no compound mode with Parkes. Personally I thought this a poorer proposal. Once the link to Parkes had been broken the decision to choose a new site (Culgoora/Narrabri) became possible. In terms of ATNF operations the split site was a significant additional operational burden and the long baselines were of minor scientific value. However closing the heliograph and re-using the site was politically astute. 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Australia Telescope Visibility Opened by the Prime Minister Sep 1988 at a cost of $50m Prestige High impact showpiece for Australian science and technology 85% local content Impressive facility International credibility A new era in Australian scientific research. Bob Hawke, Prime Minister be built and operated by CSIRO under contract to a Board to be appointed by the Minister for Science and the Environment; that the telescope be regarded as a national facility available for use by all Australian astronomers; and that the selection of research programs he based on the merit of the proposals and be the responsibility of a Time Allocation Committee. That practical and reasonable charges be made to users of the' AST recover part of the operating costs of the instrument; but that charges be not so large as to inhibit the use of the teleseope 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Australia Telescope Opening be built and operated by CSIRO under contract to a Board to be appointed by the Minister for Science and the Environment; that the telescope be regarded as a national facility available for use by all Australian astronomers; and that the selection of research programs he based on the merit of the proposals and be the responsibility of a Time Allocation Committee. That practical and reasonable charges be made to users of the' AST recover part of the operating costs of the instrument; but that charges be not so large as to inhibit the use of the teleseope 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Original $50Australian bill (1973) The original $50 Australian note (1973-1995) has a scientific theme and includes a couple of Parkes radio astronomy results Sadly this era has past and we have no science in any of our currency 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Centaurus A ATCA Mosaic 600 kpc Centaurus A ATCA Mosaic 1.4GHz continuum full polarization 4 x 750m array configuration 406 pointings, hexagonal grid  FOV 45 deg2 Angular resolution ~45’’ ~0.26mJy/beam (0.1K) Ilana Feain, ApJ 740, 17 (2011) ATCA has a strong implementation of the mosaic observing mode. Real-time system has minimised overheads from pointing changes and the Miriad software makes this mode very user friendly. 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

2D synthesis with shorter observations at higher elevations 3mm advantage 2D synthesis with shorter observations at higher elevations 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

Thank you 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017