By Neil Roberts | ||
Neil's comments... | ||
First Section - Third Tray |
New Horizons - 'Avec un ciel vierge'A new land and a new sky - as well as specimens to collect, Australia offered a new platform for observing, a new perspective on the heavens. Australian scientists took advantage of this opportunity - observatories were among the first scientific institutions to be established, and skilled observers like John Tebbutt developed international reputations. Astronomy could thereby serve as a symbol of cultural achievement and maturity, as demonstrated by the construction of the Great Melbourne Telescope. Australia has remained a major contributor to astronomical research. The Great Melbourne Telescope itself is still in service - now over 100 years old it scans the skies for evidence of dark matter. |
Prepared by Tim Sherratt (Tim.Sherratt@asap.unimelb.edu.au)
for publication on ASAPWeb. 22 June 1997.