Southern Skies – Carter Observatory

It was my month to arrange the outing for our SLG this month, and the decision where to go was easy, as I had long wanted to go and visit the Carter Observatory.  We had been there many years ago, but the Observatory had changed and expanded since then, so it was time for a return trip.   We all met up in the car park on a wet and wild Wellington morning, and walked the short distance down to the Observatory.

Carter Observatory

I had booked our group in to the 11.00am screening of the film “Dawn of the Space Age”.  As we sat back in our recliner chairs and looked up at the theatre screen on the dome above us, the images travelled across the dome and we looked up in wonder.  The film told of the early space race between the Russians and the Americans.  Those of us with enough years under our belts will remember the wonder we all felt when the Sputniks were launched, followed by Nasa joining in with President Kennedy’s promise to “put a man on the moon”.  The film played for about 45 minutes, and the graphics were amazing.  Then the presenter showed us pictures of the current night sky over Wellington, and pointed out the planets and constellations.

The theatre dome

We can remember Peter Read and his popular TV show “Night Sky” from 1963 to 1974.  On his death the family donated his telescope to Carter Observatory.  This instrument had quite a chequered past and had many owners.  It was commandeered during WW11 by the New Zealand Army and taken to Lyttleton Harbour in the South Island where it was used to observe approaching ships.  Peter Read brought this telescope and mounted it in his backyard observatory in Miramar, Wellington, where he used it until his death in 1981.

Peter Read’s telescope

There was plenty to see as we wandered around.   Look at that, moon rocks!  Imagine the astronauts collecting  the rocks from the moon and bringing them back to earth, it is quite mind boggling to consider, don’t you think?

Rock collected from the Moon

We read about the Big Bang, and how the world as we know it was presumed to be created, and how it all might perhaps end.  Who really knows, and we won’t be here then.  There were 5 minute films to watch on the stars, black holes, constellations, and planets, and plenty of interactive screens to keep us busy and informed.

 

The library was amazing to behold.  Most of the Carter Observatory book collection were gifted by Leslie John Comrie.  In 1941, when London was under air attack, Leslie Comrie feared for the future of European civilisation.  He decided to send thousands of books to Carter Observatory in case Britain's libraries were reduced to ashes.  If the worst did happen, he hoped that the astrology knowledge his books contained would be resurrected here in New Zealand.

Part of the library

The Cooke telescope is used on “Star Gazing Evenings”.  This magnificent telescope was made in York, England, in 1867.  In 1905 it was shipped to Marist Observatory, Napier, and then purchased by the Wellington City Council in 1923.  It would certainly be very interesting to come back and for an evening session at the Observatory.

  In front of the Cooke telescope

This is a most interesting place and well worth a return visit to learn even more about “Space, the final frontier”.

The old “Dominion Observatory” building