Location: Mount Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Rd, Weston Creek ACT 2611
Country: Ngunnawal, Ngambri
LGA: Australian Capital Territory
Region: Southern Tablelands
Website: msatt.teamapp.com
Map below
The MSATT Astronomical Teaching Facility at the Australian National University’s Mount Stromlo Observatory, near Canberra, ACT, consists of two domes fitted out with an array of astronomical instruments, including a 300 mm Schmidt-Cassegrain teaching telescope, an H-alpha solar telescope, a 100 mm apochromatic refractor, 40 cm Newtonian, 115 mm apochromat, plus astronomical cameras, spectrographs, and auxiliary equipment.
Captions
From top left: photo 1, teacher, mentor and MSATT co-founder Geoff McNamara behind a computer screen from which students can operate the dome’s Meade LX 200 telescope; photos 2, 3, 4, the Meade telescope up close; 4, Bill Frost, the Canberra Astronomical Society (CASA) Observatory Night and School Nights Coordinator in MSATT Dome 1. Photos by Merrill Findlay, 21 February 2025.
See facebook.com/MSATTAustralia/ for regular updates on MSATT activities.
The facility was developed with the support of Science Mentors ACT, an ACT Education Directorate program, and funding from individual philanthropists and donors. It offers free educational programs for anyone interested in learning astronomical skills, especially high school students.
The acronym MSATT (pronounced emsat) stands for McNamara-Saunders Astronomical Teaching Telescopes in honour of the people most responsible for the facility’s construction, maintenance and educational programs: teacher and science mentor Geoff McNamara and philanthropists Dr Denis and Mrs Vee Saunders.
MASAT’s website offers excellent downloadable guides for astronomy beginners here >>
Captions
From top left: photo 1, student operating telescope from the MSATT laptop; 2, specifications of the MSATT telescopes on the dome wall; 3, a model of the Space Station on a shelf in the dome; 4, wavelengths of the Balmer Series in the hydrogen spectrum; 5, kitten poster on the dome door; 6, model of Dr Who’s phone box on a shelf; and 7, the reminder, on a dome door, of what it takes to become an expert astronomer! Photos by Merrill Findlay, 21 February 2025.
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Download the MSATT map and directions below.
Post created 12 February 2025. Last updated 5 March 2025.
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