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From the Sun to the Universe—The Woolley and Bok Directorships at Mount Stromlo1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2016

A. R. Hyland  and
D. J. Faulkner
A. R. Hyland
Affiliation:
Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, The Australian National University
D. J. Faulkner
Affiliation:
Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, The Australian National University
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Abstract

The twenty years following the Second World War saw great changes in the research interests of the Observatory at Mount Stromlo, with the early emphasis on solar and geophysical phenomena giving way to stellar and galactic astrophysics. This paper traces the development of the astrophysical research work during the directorships of Woolley, who initiated the change of direction, and of Bok, who continued it. Apart from the shift in the Observatory’s research interests, these years were distinguished by (i) an outstanding period of telescope acquisition, which saw the commissioning of the 74 inch reflector, the 50 inch (formerly the Great Melbourne Telescope), the Yale/Columbia refractor (relocated from South Africa), and the Uppsala Schmidt; (ii) an Australia-wide site-testing programme and the consequent establishment of Siding Spring Observatory with the 40 inch, 24 inch and 16 inch reflectors (the site has subsequently, of course, also become the home of the Anglo-Australian Telescope, the U.K. Schmidt, and the ANU 2.3 m Advanced Technology Telescope); (iii) the incorporation of several major technological developments into the instrument complement of the Observatory, including photo-electric photometry, coudé spectroscopy, spectrum scanners, polarization instruments, and digital computers; (iv) the establishment of the link with the Australian National University and the consequent transformation of the Commonwealth Observatory into the Mount Stromlo Observatory; and (v) the setting up of a large and vigorous graduate school, comprising, at Bok’s departure, about fifteen PhD students on course.

Type
History of Australian Astronomy
Information
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , 1989 , pp. 216 - 228
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 1989

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Footnotes

1

This paper was presented during a symposium entitled ‘Neath Southern Skies–the History of Astronomy in Australia’, held at the University of Sydney on Wednesday, 18 May 1988 as part of the ANZAAS Centenary Congress.

References

References and Notes

2 As, in this account, we are chiefly interested in the development of astrophysical interests at Mount Stromlo, we do not deal with the work of the Time Service (renamed the Section on Positional Astronomy in 1961). This service was active under both Woolley and Bok, but was transferred to the Division of National Mapping in 1968. Nor do we discuss the Ionospheric Prediction Service, which was transferred from the Radio Research Board to the Department of the Interior in 1947 and attached to the Commonwealth Observatory, but which did not accompany the Observatory into the Australian National University in 1957.

3 Woolley was Director of the Commonwealth (Solar) Observatory from 26 October 1939 until 7 December 1955 (and also Commonwealth Astronomer following the name change in 1944). Bok was Director of Mount Stromlo Observatory from 15 January 1957 until 19 March 1966.

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5 Records of the Australian Academy of Science, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1968, p. 57. Woolley concludes an article entitled Mount Stromlo Observatory by describing his departure from Canberra with the words: ‘I needed fresh contacts to get back into contemporary ideas, and Mount Stromlo needed a man who was soaked in them. It has got one now (1967).’

6 Minutes of the 10th meeting of the Board of Visitors, 31 January 1951, Resolution 1. Those present at this meeting were: Prof O. U. Vonwiller, Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of Sydney (Chairman); Prof K. E. Bullen, professor of Mathematics, University of Sydney; Sir Kerr Grant, Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of Adelaide; Prof E. J. Hartung, Professor of Chemistry, Univesity of Melbourne; Sir John Madsen, Chairman, Radio Research Board, Sydney; W. A. McLaren, Secretary Department of the Interior; Fr D. O’Connell, Director, Riverview College Observatory; Prof M. L. Oliphant, Director, Research School of Physical Sciences, ANU; and the Commonwealth Astronomer (Prof R v d R. Woolley). Dr A. R. Hogg was secretary.

7 acting on a suggestion made to him by Fr D. O’Connell at the Dublin General Assembly of the IAU in 1955.

8 Hemisphere, August 1958 issue. ‘Exploring the Southern Skies’.

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11 Including 74 inch reflectors at the David Dunlap Observatory at Toronto (1935), the Radcliffe Observatory at Pretoria (1948), the Okayama Astrophysical Observatory in Japan (1960), and the Helwan (Kottamia) Observatory in Egypt (1963); and a 76 inch at Haute Provence in France (1958).

12 The old north pier of the Great Melbourne Telescope, unusable at the different latitude of Mount Stromlo, became the foundation stone of the Australian Academy of Science dome in Canberra, and may be seen in the foyer there.

13 Annual Report of Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1957, pp. 15-16.

14 The Report of the Yale-Columbia work became available in 1959.

15 Annual Report of Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1958, pp. 8-11.

16 Annual Report of Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1958, p. 7.

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18 Annual Report of Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1964, p. 16.

19 The last regular Visitor’s Night held was on 30 March 1966, eleven days after Bok’s departure. It was conducted by Arthur Hogg, as Acting Director; he died later that same night. Hogg became Acting Director following the departure of both Woolley and Bok; and Ben Gascoigne assumed the role following Hogg’s death.

20 Annual Report of Mount Stromlo Observatory, 1965, pp. 1-3, (unexpurgated version).

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Colin Gum’s thesis was initially rejected by Woolley and Plaskett. Ben Gascoigne, who was Colin’s supervisor (having taken over from Cla Allen), thought this was most unfair, since he himself considered the thesis to be first class. He eventually talked Woolley into appointing a third examiner, and the thesis was passed. He felt truly vindicated when he later met W. W. Morgan, who said, ‘I’ve been waiting to talk to you, Ben, abut the fine thesis by your student Gum.’ Unfortunately, Colin Gum had a massive breakdown at about that time. He had been under a great deal of pressure to get his work finished and published (as he knew that Bok et al. were doing similar work in South Africa), and he also suffered some personal problems. Not long after that, Colin Gum was killed in a skiing accident while on holiday in Switzerland.

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