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

2. Solar Heliograph at Narrabri 196750
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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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 m 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Original $50Australian bill (1973)
The original $50 Australian note ( ) 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 50th anniversary of the Narrabri site, Sep 2017

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