A View Through The Eyepiece

The Perth Observatory has experienced an extraordinary first half of the year, and we want to express our gratitude to everyone who has attended our events. In March, we hosted our summer Lecture, where Dr. Sabine Bellstedt, an esteemed astronomer from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), delivered a captivating presentation on the ground-breaking work of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) during its inaugural year. We are immensely thankful to Dr. Bellstedt for sharing her time and expertise.

April was an exciting month as we spared no effort to facilitate eclipse viewing, dispatching two teams with Astrotourism WA to Exmouth. One team did stargazing nights along the way and live-streamed the eclipse for a global audience, while the second team conducted three stargazing nights in Exmouth, drawing a remarkable crowd that even surpassed attendance at The Waifs concert. We also hosted eclipse-related events at the Observatory, including a captivating talk by Dr. Kate Russo on eclipse chasing and the emotional experience of witnessing such celestial events. On the day of the eclipse, over 200 individuals attended our partial eclipse event, where we provided a safe viewing opportunity and livestreamed the totality from Exmouth. Moreover, we brought solar scopes to the WA Museum in Northbridge, enabling 600 visitors to observe the partial eclipse.

In early May, the Bickley Harvest Festival attracted hundreds of visitors who braved the inclement weather to explore the Perth hills and indulge in the local orchards, wineries, and cideries. As they toured the Bickley Valley, many visitors stopped by the Observatory, where we offered guided day tours and engaging activities for their children. The recent rainfall has enhanced the beauty of the Bickley Valley and Perth hills, so it’s a great time to visit.

There’s been significant progress with our improvement projects. In early June, we were thrilled to receive one of our Shortt-Synchronome clocks back in working condition. These clocks, which have kept time in Western Australia for decades, were entrusted to Timepiece Creations in Kenwick along with our other clocks for restoration as part of our Lotterywest grant. Frederic and Nino have done an exceptional job.

Lastly, I would like to express immense gratitude to Zoé Fraussen, our former editor and esteemed colleague. Zoé has relocated to the Netherlands for work, leaving a significant void in our volunteer group. It was a pleasure collaborating with Zoé on these newsletters, brainstorming article ideas, and enhancing the design.

Matt Woods Editor