News in Science

Australian telescopes survive massive bushfire

A bushfire burning near the township of Coonabarabran, New South Wales, has damaged the Siding Spring Observatory, according to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

The fire in the Warrumbungle National Park in the north-west of the state has burnt out at least 33 homes and nearly 40,000 hectares, and has forced the evacuation of over 100 residents.

Residents in the area, as well as 18 staff from the Siding Spring Observatory, had to be evacuated at the height of the blaze last night.

The observatory, run by the Australian National University (ANU), is the country's largest optical astronomy research facility and was deliberately located in the Warrumbungle Ranges for the altitude, clear air, and low humidity. It is also home to the largest telescope in Australia - the Anglo-Australian Telescope.

Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO) acting director Associate Professor Andrew Hopkins says the observatory and telescopes have survived undamaged.

"Our preliminary information is that no lives were lost and the main observatory and associated workshops and facilities escaped damage," Hopkins told ABC Science Online.

"Initial reports indicate the main Anglo-Australian telescope, the UK Schmidt Telescope, as well as the Skymapper and other telescopes operated by the Australian National University are all OK."

"We've checked telescopes equipped for remote access and at least some of them are showing their systems appear to be operational," says Hopkins.

"There are others which are showing to be non-operational, but it's unclear if that's just some electronics that need replacing or if it's something more sinister."

CSIRO spokesperson, Lou Morrissey, says that while the CSIRO Mopra radio antenna, which forms part of the Australian National Radio Telescope Facility survived the flames, surrounding structures were damaged.

Lessons learned

The astronomer in charge of the Australia Astronomical Observatory, Professor Fred Watson, has been monitoring the situation from Norway.

He says lessons were learnt from the fires which destroyed the Mount Stromlo observatory in Canberra in 2003.

"For example there was a program of undergrowth clearing. There was a program of fitting ember screens to all the windows and all the buildings on the observatory, which means that you can't get embers penetrating into the buildings and setting fire from the inside, which is what happened at Stromlo," he says.

ANU acting Director of Facilities and Services, Wayne Ford, says, "We can't confirm at the moment but several ANU staff may have sustained damage to their homes in the fire."

He adds that it is unlikely roads to Siding Spring Observatory will be open any time soon, and the university is assessing alternative accommodation for affected staff.