National observatory at Mt John urged

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 14

National observatory at Mt John urged

The Mount John Observatory at Tekapo should be promoted as the national astronomical observatory for New Zealand, said Professor J. Mackie, president of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, in Christchurch on Saturday evening. In an address to the society’s annual conference, Professor Mackie urged "vigorous and purposeful” support of Mount John as the national observatory, to provide teaching and research opportunities for graduates in astronomy in New Zealand.

There had been an upsurge of interest and activity in astronomy during recent years, he said. Instrumental in this had been the television programme, “The Night Sky,” and the acquisition by local astronomical societies of sizeable modern telescopes.

"As a result, the man in the street is much better informed about celestial objects in the night sky, and about the exciting progress of space probes of one form or another,” Professor Mackie said. '

A formal course in astronomy was now being established at the University of Canterbury, whcih, with the University of Pennsylvania, had the management of the Mount John observatory. From this nucleus, “many of us hope will develop New Zealand’s national observatory,” Professor Mackie said. Although much had been achieved, there remained a lot to be done yet, he said. There was little point in turning out graduates in astronomy if they must go overseas permanently to find appointments. There should be research opportunities in Jilew Zealand. “Research means facilities —not necessarily of such proportions as those at Mount Wilson in the United States, or the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England—but at least something in the middle range, initially, of sufficient sophistication to hold our own researchers and attract visitors from overseas.” Professor Mackie said that within the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Government had a fair range of scientific observatories. but there was none in astronomy.

“In view of our very favourable geographic location, we, as one of the supposedly developed nations, should have a national observatory

of respectable size so that we can do our bit for international science,” he said. . “We have been too prone to sit back and let persons in other countries do the work when we can collect and interpret valuable data on our own doorstep,” he said. “If others in our society agree with me, we must do our best to persuade the Government that it should at least help in providing a national observatory at Mount John.” Professor Mackie said that until now, the society had comprised mainly amateur astronomers, but the number of full-time, academically qualified astronomers was growing. He recommended that it should include both full-time and part-time astronomers, and that as the only national astronomical society, it should have the responsibility for promoting a national observatory and astronomical endeavour in New Zealand.