BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Sydney BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20240407T020000 RDATE:20241006T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20250406T020000 RDATE:20251005T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20260405T020000 RDATE:20261004T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20270404T020000 RDATE:20271003T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20280402T020000 RDATE:20281001T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20231107T193000 RDATE:20240407T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20241006T030000 RDATE:20250406T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20251005T030000 RDATE:20260405T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20261004T030000 RDATE:20270404T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20271003T030000 RDATE:20280402T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20281001T030000 RDATE:20290401T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:939111c1bdc8f934d90170703e451a68 CATEGORIES:Guest Speaker Night CREATED:20240412T120055 SUMMARY:Guest Speaker - Prof Fred Watson - DISR LOCATION:of Event: Green Point Observatory DESCRIPTION:More than a Big White DomeThis year sees Australia’s largest optical telesc ope celebrate the 50th anniversary of its opening in October 1974 by HM Kin g Charles III, then Prince of Wales. Originally owned and operated by the A ustralian and British Governments, the 3.9-m Anglo-Australian Telescope mad e an immediate impact on optical astronomy by being the first telescope of its size to work entirely under computer control. Several exciting decades of discovery and innovation followed, maintaining the telescope in the fore front of astronomical research. That is a position it still occupies in the field of spectroscopic surveys, operating today under the management of a consortium of Australian universities. In this entertaining and copiously i llustrated talk, the telescope’s former Astronomer-in-Charge gives an overv iew of its history, working life and future in an era of much larger telesc opes.\nProfessor Fred Watson \nProfessor Fred Watson AM is the Australian G overnment’s Astronomer-at-Large, an outreach, advocacy and advisory role in the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Educated in Scotland at the universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Fred worked at both of Brita in’s Royal Observatories before joining the Australian Astronomical Observa tory as Astronomer-in-Charge in 1995. Today, he is best known for his award -winning radio and TV broadcasts, books, music, dark-sky advocacy and the S pace Nuts podcast. His work also includes providing expert astronomy advice to government. Fred is an adjunct professor in several Australian universi ties. He also has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says t hat if it hits the Earth, it won't be his fault.\n X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

More than a Big White Dome

This year sees Australia’s largest op tical telescope celebrate the 50th anniversary of its opening in October 19 74 by HM King Charles III, then Prince of Wales. Originally owned and opera ted by the Australian and British Governments, the 3.9-m Anglo-Australian T elescope made an immediate impact on optical astronomy by being the first t elescope of its size to work entirely under computer control. Several excit ing decades of discovery and innovation followed, maintaining the telescope in the forefront of astronomical research. That is a position it still occ upies in the field of spectroscopic surveys, operating today under the mana gement of a consortium of Australian universities. In this entertaining and copiously illustrated talk, the telescope’s former Astronomer-in-Charge gi ves an overview of its history, working life and future in an era of much l arger telescopes.

Fred Watson photo

Professor Fred Watson

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Professor Fred Watson AM is the Australian Government’s Astronomer-at -Large, an outreach, advocacy and advisory role in the Department of Indust ry, Science and Resources. Educated in Scotland at the universities of St A ndrews and Edinburgh, Fred worked at both of Britain’s Royal Observatories before joining the Australian Astronomical Observatory as Astronomer-in-Cha rge in 1995. Today, he is best known for his award-winning radio and TV bro adcasts, books, music, dark-sky advocacy and the Space Nuts podcast. His wo rk also includes providing expert astronomy advice to government. Fred is a n adjunct professor in several Australian universities. He also has an aste roid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says that if it hits the Earth, it won't be his fault.

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