Perth Observatory: 40-inch Telescope Project

In 2006, November, the WA State Government allocated Perth Observatory $350,000 for the building of an enclosure to house Lowell Observatory's 40-inch (1-metre) A. Montgomery Ward Telescope. This web page details the construction of this enclosure.

Lowell Observatory (the USA’s largest private astronomical observatory) are very keen to site this telescope at Perth Observatory in order to gain access to the Southern Hemisphere sky at the isolated (and astronomically useful) Perth Observatory site. Lowell Observatory and Perth Observatory will each share 50 per cent of the total observing time in return for fully refurbishing this instrument and upgrading its electronic systems and constructing the building for this $1M instrument, respectively.

A telescope very similar to the A. Montgomery Ward telescope - the 40-inch telescope of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories). Lowell Observatory has been a partner of Perth Observatory since the establishment of their 24-inch telescope at Bickley (the site of Perth Observatory) in 1971. Given the Perth Observatory’s outstanding track record of maintaining the 24-inch telescope in near-new condition, upgrading it to computer control, and demonstrated ability in internet telescope access technology, Lowell Observatory are very confident that this project will prove successful and realize the significant potential of this valuable telescope.

The 1-metre telescope will deliver exciting new science projects currently not feasible with the 24-inch telescope as well as better support existing science programs. The 1-metre has far more light gathering power than existing telescopes in Western Australia and this will facilitate conduct of an effective program of spectroscopy (a detailed study of the light emitted by an object). It will also complement the ‘mega science’ Square Kilometer Array project currently being considered for siting in WA as that telescope only detects the radio emissions from celestial objects, not visible light.

Furthermore, the 1-metre telescope would be an important training tool for local universities with its ability to undertake photometric, imaging and spectroscopic programs. The Observatory has a long history of providing meaningful public programmes and the new telescope would also be incorporated in these activities, as well as provide visitors with an insight into local astronomical science being undertaken. In summary, a partial list of projects feasible with the 1-metre telescope includes:

Public star viewing using a very large telescope,
Spectroscopy of novae (currently unfeasible using the 24-inch telescope),
Spectroscopy of supernovae (currently unfeasible using the 24-inch telescope),
Nebulae spectroscopy (currently unfeasible using the 24-inch telescope),
Comet and asteroid spectroscopy (currently unfeasible using the 24-inch telescope),
More efficient monitoring of gravitational microlensing events, and the ability to monitor events too faint for the existing 24-inch telescope,
Detection, photometry, and astrometry of supernovae to fainter limits than present,
Substantially increased efficiency and science output in the monitoring of variable stars and other transient events,
Detection, photometry, and astrometry of Kuiper Belt Objects at the distance of Pluto and greater. This is currently an area of significant international focus, especially in the current context of the ongoing controversy over the definition of a planet, and
Tracking of fainter solar system bodies, such as distant comets and near-Earth asteroids.

Latest Construction Camera Image

1-m telescope building site

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	The images either side are stills from an animation depicting the new enclosure. Click on either image to play the animation (mpg 15MB). This animation was created and donated to the Observatory by Graham Taylor, email: , ph/fax:(08) 9276 2187 and www: Gresham.
		Enclosure diagram This drawing is a cross-section through the proposed 1-m telescope enclosure. It shows the position of the 1-m telescope and a sense of the building's scale is provided by the human figure. ^ Top ^
		2008/06/26 Pouring the outer floor The outer floor of the enclosure is being poured. Notice the reinforcing bars in the floor, and in particular, the bars attached to the lower part of the walls. Once the concrete sets this reinforcing will keep the walls firmly in place (along with the steel capping on the top of the walls). Also visible is the steel wedge on which the telescope will be mounted. This wedge is set an an angle of about 10° and compensates for the Montgomery Ward Telescope's base being made for a latitude 10° greater than that for Perth. ^ Top ^
2008/06/26 Pouring the warm room floor The warm room (a room where instruments and computers are kept) buts against the north side of the enclosure. ^ Top ^
		2008/06/26 Concrete pump A pump was required in order to access the warm room floor and outer floor areas during their concrete pour. ^ Top ^
2008/06/13 Wall erection complete The erection of the walls are complete. The walls will be reinforced by 1/ steel reinforcing welded along the top of the walls, and 2/ the outer floor will be poured and cover reinforcing rods protruding from the bottom of the walls. ^ Top ^
		2008/06/13 The final section goes up Note the supports on the inside the walls - they support the walls during construction. ^ Top ^
2008/06/13 More wall panels go up ^ Top ^
		2008/06/13 The first wall panel goes up ^ Top ^
2008/06/13 The wall panels arrive Two trucks were required to deliver the panels that were fabricated offsite. ^ Top ^
		2008/05/22 Ducts in trench Ducts that will carry power and data lines to the telescope have been laid in a trench. The trench was filled a few days later. Note that this image was acquired with the "construction cam". ^ Top ^
2008/04/11 Inner floor pour Inner floor concrete pour. ^ Top ^
		2008/04/11 Inner floor preparation Inner floor form work and reinforcing prior to concrete pour. Note that the floor does not extend to the wall footings. The outer part of the floor will be poured after the walls are erected, the inner floor is used to anchor the supports that hold the walls during their erection. ^ Top ^
2008/01/22 Sand pad completed The enclosure sand pad is complete. The wall footings and telescope pier/plinth are exposed. The orange pipes are conduits for power, data etc. This view is towards due south. ^ Top ^
		2008/01/17 Wall footings pour Enclosure wall footings being cast. ^ Top ^
2008/01/16 Corner reinforcing This image is a close up of the extensive reinforcing in the corner of the wall footings. The straight section extending to the left will form the base of enclosure's service entry. ^ Top ^
		2008/01/16 Footings form work Enclosure wall footings form work and reinforcing. This view is toward due north. ^ Top ^
2007/12/11 Plinth and lower sand pad The plinth has been cast and the lower sand pad formed. The plinth is covered in plastic in order to minimise cracking in the day time heat. ^ Top ^
		2007/12/07 Plinth reinforcing Close up of the the plinth reinforcing. The threaded bolts are made from high tensile steel and will be used to hold the telescope to the plinth. ^ Top ^
2007/12/04 Lower part of telescope pier Lower part of the telescope pier. This substantial block of concrete holds the telescope to the surrounding ground. The vertical reinforcing connects the plinth (upper part of pier) to the lower pier. ^ Top ^
		2007/12/04 Lower pier concrete pour Pouring concrete for the lower pier The extensive reinforcing is required to make this component of the enclosure exceptionally solid in order to keep the telescope very stable. ^ Top ^
2007/12/03 Reinforcing in lower pier Reinforcing in lower part of telescope pier. ^ Top ^
		2007/11/01 1-m primary mirror 1-m primary mirror being prepared for a much needed clean at Lowell Observatory. ^ Top ^
2007/06/20 Excavation for the lower pier Excavation for the lower pier. The hole is approximately 2m wide in the east-west direction, 6m long in the north-south direction and 3m deep. ^ Top ^
		2007/06/19 Start of pier excavation Start of the pier excavation by a rock breaker. ^ Top ^
2007/04/26 Core samples Core samples from the geotechnical survey. ^ Top ^
		2007/04/26 Geotechnical survey A geophysical survey was undertaken in order to determine the structure of the ground into which the pier will be embedded. ^ Top ^
2007/03/27 Site clearing Clearing the site for the 1-m telescope enclosure. ^ Top ^
		2007/01/18 Telescope site Site prior to clearing. ^ Top ^
2003 Aerial view Aerial view of the Perth Observatory complex before the construction of the 1-m telescope enclosure. ^ Top ^