Blenheim attracts U.S. astronomers

Press, 15 July 1978, Page 7

Blenheim attracts U.S. astronomers

r P A Blenheim An American observatory plans to invest $500,000 in the Black : Birch observatory, south of Blenheim. By 1980, eight or nine ! American astronomers ■ from the United States ! Naval Observatory in Washington, are expected I to take up residence in Blenheim for a 10-year project of star-gazing. The Carter Observatory, . of Wellington, has transI ferred its main observa- ! tion work to the Black Birch Observatory to get away from Wellington's weather and city lights, and to make use of Marlborough’s clear skies. Recently its 41 cm Cassegranian reflector teleI scope was used for the • first time at Black Birch. When Carter planned the move to Black Birch its director, (Dr M. Lewis), hoped that observatories from the Northern Hemisphere would be interested in making use of the facility. A United States survey team has visited the site. It is believed that five buildings are planned close to the' present pbser- ! vatory. Their construction is planned for late next year and it is expected . that observation will start in mid-1980. The United States team will use its own equip- ! ment, mainly a transit j telescope, to determine the I time various stars move : through the meridian, and

to record accurate ascensions. This is fundamental astronomy work. Stars in the Northern Hemisphere are well mapped, but not. as much is known of stars in the Southern Hemisphere. The American astronomers will all be civilians. Any information they gather will be unclassified and freeely available. Apart from bringing the mapping of southern stars up to the standard of northern star maps, the accurate recording of star movements will be an aid to navigation.