150th goes off with a bang!

150th goes off with a bang!

Published by Geoff Wyatt on June 7, 2008 No Comments

Our 150th celebrations really went off with a bang today as 1400 people came along to join the party, eat some cake, watch a murder mystery, decode the flags, have their faces painted, listen to the Turramurra School Band and be blown away by the loudest cannon in Sydney!

Sunrise at the Observatory

The day started with a beautiful sunrise which was a complete surprise was considering the weather over the last few days.

Historic birthday cake

A birthday cake with an image of the Observatory and Comet Halley from 1910 made for a spectacular morning tea.

Turramurra High School

The students from Turramurra High school wowed the crowd with a fantastic range of music.

Telescopes by day

The Sun was cooperating and allowed for some rather nice viewing through our telescopes supplemented by Monty, our dedicated Solar observing expert volunteer.

Speeches

The Honourable Frank Sartor MP, Dr Nicholas Pappas and Mr Bruce Reid dedicated the 30m flagstaff in honour of the Bruce & Joy Reid Foundation before the historic Time ball dropped and the loudest cannon in the universe signalled midday, the time we used to drop the Timeball back in 1858!

There are still two more days of celebrations to go so why not come along between 10 and 4pm and join the party?

  • John Sarkissian

    Congratulations on the 150th anniversary of Sydney Observatory. The work of the Observatory has been of fundamental significance in the development of science in Australia. It’s current role in outreach activities continues to inspire a new generation of Australian astronomers and scientists. I commend you on this vital work and congratulate you on this significant anniversary. Well done.
    - John Sarkissian, CSIRO Parkes Observatory and CWAS.

  • Tony Trelford

    Hopefulley One day I will get a chance to visit.The Observatory is an important and well preserved part of our History.-Tony Trelford Canowindra NSW.

  • Alex Abbey

    Happy 150th Birthday, Sydney Observatory!
    To put into context just how long Sydney Observatory has been a part of Australia’s history, it was founded only four years after another fundamental event in our nation’s history – the Eureka Stockade.
    What’s more, so many years later, Australia is still proudly amongst the world leaders in Astronomy.
    - Alex Abbey, Parkes, New South Wales

  • Alan Dyer

    Congratulations on the 150th birthday celebrations. Great to see such a grand old observatory still being well used and loved by the community. I enjoy my visits there every time I am in Sydney visiting from Canada. Happy birthday!
    – Alan Dyer, Calgary, Alberta, Canada