CELEBRATE SYDNEY OBSERVATORY'S 150TH BIRTHDAY WITH US
Saturday 7, Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June 2008

On 5 June 1858 the Timeball atop the tower of Sydney Observatory was dropped for the first time to advise Sydneysiders and ships in the Harbour of the exact time. Exact time was particularly crucial for ships heading out for a long voyage at sea in order to properly adjust the chronometers (clocks) that aided their navigation. Be part of history by witnessing the Timeball drop along with other exciting events to celebrate Sydney Observatory’s Sesquicentenary (& Queen’s Birthday) weekend.

Take this opportunity to celebrate the whole of this unique historical site with lots of activities for all ages, including a new exhibition, 'Observing the weather' (exploring Sydney weather over 150 years, including droughts, floods, hailstorms and heatwaves), tours of the newly renovated Fort Phillip Signal Station and decoders for the flags flying on the freshly reinstated 30-metre flagstaff, activities for kids, solar viewings, science shows, programs in the 3D theatre, entertainment, face painting, and more.
Activities generally take place between 10am and 4pm, unless otherwise specified.
Cost: $7 adult, $5 child, $20 family
Tickets available at the gate or book ahead for fast entry on 9921 3485

702 ABC Sydney Radio Broadcast
Saturday 7 June
6:00am – 12noon
Join Simon Marnie from the ABC for a live broadcast from the Observatory as we start the 150th celebrations. Listen to Radio 702 ABC to find out how to get tickets to this special event.

Turramurra High School band
Saturday 7 June
10:00am to 11:00am and 12:00 noon to 1:15pm
Come and join the students from Turramurra High school as their 38 piece band plays a selection of big band music.

Speeches/official launch
Saturday 7 June
11:15am
Join Commonwealth and State government VIPs, the Powerhouse Museum Board of Trustees and staff from the NSW Department of Commerce and the Powerhouse Museum to celebrate the 10 year refurbishment of Australia’s oldest observatory. There will even be celebratory birthday cake, while it lasts!

Timeball drop
Saturday 7 June
12noon (with cannon fire!), 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm
On this day only, for dramatic effect, the 12 noon drop of the Timeball will be accompanied by cannon-fire (from an artillery gun). Cannons have been used for years to provide audible accompaniment to Timeballs around the world. Indeed only recently, we found a letter written by our most famous astronomer, Henry Chamberlain Russell, from 27 March 1871 objecting to a cannon being fired from Observatory Hill on the previous Saturday. More than 130 years later the Department of Defence has kindly supplied an artillery gun to accompany the Timeball once more. Don't miss it.

Getting away with murder: the intriguing case of a diabolical assassin
Saturday 7 June
1pm, 2pm and 3pm
On 8 September 1877, the Government Astronomer at Sydney Observatory discovered a package on his desk intended to be his end. Who wanted him out of the way and why? Investigation led to one prime suspect from among his staff. Take a journey into the past and meet the characters to hear their side of the story, then you help decide how the story unfolds. Get your tickets early and join one of the characters to uncover some clues before the main event.
Note additional cost of $5 per person

Book launch
Two people and a place: the family who lived in Sydney Observatory
Saturday 7 June
1:15pm
Meet the author Roslyn Russell and descendents of Una and Harley Wood the government astronomer who lived in Sydney Observatory with his family from 1943 to 1974.

Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June

Getting away with murder: the intriguing case of a diabolical assassin
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June
1pm, 2pm and 3pm
On 8 September 1877, the Government Astronomer at Sydney Observatory discovered a package on his desk intended to be his end. Who wanted him out of the way and why? Investigation led to one prime suspect from among his staff. Take a journey into the past and meet the characters to hear their side of the story, then you help decide how the story unfolds. Get your tickets early and join one of the characters to uncover some clues before the main event.
Note additional cost of $5 per person

Deep freeze
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June
10:15am, 12:15pm & 2:15pm
Our atmosphere is 78% Nitrogen. Experience what happens when it is cooled to -196°C. Watch as a bunch of inflated balloons seem to disappear into a bottomless pit. You may even get to taste our own space ice cream.

Sundials
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June
11:15am, 1:15pm & 3:15pm
Learn to use the Sun to answer the age-old question of “What time is it?” Join in one of these workshops to make your very own sundial.

Timeball drop
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June
12noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
Time and its measurement have played a huge role in our history. Sydney Observatory was built in 1858 for the express purpose of measuring and conveying time. So, in celebration, the Timeball will drop every hour.

Fort Phillip Signal Station
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June
As the oldest building on Observatory Hill, Fort Phillip Signal Station has a wonderful story to tell. Thanks to the NSW Department of Commerce this newly renovated treasure will be opened for the first time. Spaces are limited so don’t miss out.

Flagstaff and flags
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June
Witness the return of the 30-metre flagstaff at the south end of the Fort Phillip Signal Station, which will now fly traditional flags of a harbour city, flags that convey weather conditions, along with uniquely conceived flags that illustrate astronomical visibility of Moon phases, planets, and constellations. Be sure to collect your own decoder, so you can decipher the ever-changing flag display.

Cardboard planetarium
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June
Enter a cardboard universe, created with pinholes by renowned artist Kirsten Bradley. See a spectacular sunlit version of the night sky over Sydney as it appeared on 5 June 1858!

LECTURE AT SYDNEY OBSERVATORY AND SEMINARS AT POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
ON THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN METEOROLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
Friday 13, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June

INTRODUCTORY LECTURE AT SYDNEY OBSERVATORY BY PROFESSOR FRED WATSON
Friday 13 June, 6.30pm
There is to be introductory lecture at Sydney Observatory on the evening of Friday 13 June by Professor Fred Watson. People attending the seminar will be invited to the lecture as will members of the public for whom normal evening charges will apply. The lecture is to be followed by a telescope viewing.
Bookings and prepayments essential on ph 9921 3485.
Abstract and bio

HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN METEOROLOGY SEMINAR
AT THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
Saturday 14 June, 9.30am - 4.45pm
The seminar on meteorology is relevant as weather observations were one of the main tasks of Sydney Observatory from its establishment in 1858 until the formation of the Bureau of Meteorology in 1908. That date for the Bureau means that this year is its centenary and so the seminar is doubly relevant.

A number of high profile speakers have agreed to take part in the meteorology seminar including Professor Neville Nicholls from Monash University who is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Other speakers are the NSW Regional Director of the Bureau of Meteorology Barry Hanstrum and the well-known weather presenter Mike Bailey.
Meteorology seminar program
Abstracts and speaker bios (meteorology)

HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN ASTRONOMY SEMINAR
AT THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
Sunday 15 June, 9.30am - 4.50pm
Speakers for the astronomy seminar include Professor Ray Norris of the Australia Telescope National Facility and Professor Fred Watson who is Officer-In-Charge at the Anglo-Australian Telescope.
Astronomy seminar program
Abstracts and speaker bios (astronomy)

The seminars on the weekend of 14 and 15 June are to provide a slightly more academic flavour to the celebrations of Sydney Observatory's 150th anniversary.

Seminar cost: $30 per day or $40 for two days 14 and 15 June
(Powerhouse Museum entry and afternoon teas included in the seminar charges)
Friday 13 June introductory talk at Sydney Observatory - seminar attendees will be invited; normal night visit charges apply for others.
For bookings please contact Sydney Observatory on 02 9921 3485
PLEASE NOTE: The Friday 13 June talk is at Sydney Observatory
The Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June seminars are in the Target Theatre at the Powerhouse Museum

FESTIVAL OF THE STARS
Friday 4 and Saturday 5 July
6pm – 10pm
With unparalleled support from owners of some of the biggest buildings in the CBD and North Sydney the stars of Sydney will shine once again as they did many years ago! Yes, darkness will return to Sydney Observatory this July and the astronomers couldn’t be happier as this will give the residents of Sydney a spectacular view of the stars from the heart of our massive city.

On these two great nights you and your family will be able to:
- Take a torchlight (red light for night vision) tour of the signal station and find out about mysterious past events on Observatory Hill;
- View Mars and Saturn in the west, and Jupiter rising in the east through large telescopes throughout the grounds and inside our domes;
- Hear illustrated short astronomy focus talks throughout the night;
- Visit our 3-D space theatre and witness Observatory 3-D, the newest stereo image programming found only at Sydney Observatory!
- Be awestruck by the projection of remarkable solar images;
- Purchase the latest astronomical products, telescopes, accessories and guides to help you on your quest to become a galactic explorer;
- View and find out about the constellations Centaurus and the galactic heart of Scorpius;
- Visit our moonlight café for a sausage sizzle, coffee, or hot chocolate.

Mini-bus departs from George Street (near the MCA) every 20 minutes from 6:00pm.
Cost: $15 adults, $12 conc, $10 child, $45 family
Members: $12 adults, $10 conc, $8 child, $32 family
No bookings required.

We would like to thank the following organisations for agreeing to turn off the lights and returning the skies over Sydney Harbour to their natural darkness, to help make this a wonderful night of stargazing.
The Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Harbour Bridge thanks to the RTA
The Shangri-La Hotel. Cumberland St Sydney
AAMI Building. Walker St North Sydney
AMP. Circular Quay Sydney
AON. Kent St Sydney thanks to Claude Neon
Fujitsu. Blue St North Sydney thanks to Claude Neon
Governor Phillip Tower & Governor Macquarie Tower. Farrer Place Sydney thanks to DBRReef
Grosvenor Place. George St Sydney
HBOS. Clarence St Sydney thanks to DB RReef
High Gate Apartments. Kent St Sydney
Innovation Place. Arthur Street North Sydney
NCR. Napier St North Sydney thanks to Claude Neon
Observatory Tower. Kent St Sydney
SHARP. Lavender St North Sydney thanks to Claude Neon
Suncorp. Jamison St Sydney thanks to Jones Lang LaSalle
Westpac. Margaret St Sydney
Westpac Place. Kent St thanks to Mirvac and Leighton Services
Zurich. Blue St North Sydney

A 13-DAY ASTRONOMICAL TOUR OF RUSSIA - JULY/AUGUST 2008
Come and join astronomers from Sydney Observatory for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness a total solar eclipse during an astronomical/space-themed 13-day tour of Russia, including travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway. More....