A-CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY PRIOR TO THE DOME BEING PLACED IN POSITION
B-CONSTRUCTION AND PLACEMENT OF THE SIX METRE DOME ON THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY
C-THE COMPLETED NEPEAN OBSERVATORY
D-THE CONTRUCTION OF THE OPTICS FOR THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY 24INCH (0.6 METRE TELESCOPE)
E-THE MECHANICAL PARTS OF THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY TELESCOPE
F-THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY

The Nepean Observatory of UWS Nepean

Photograph of the Nepean Observatory taken in moon light with Venus above the observatory.

The Nepean Observatory was funded from a special Federal Government grant and from matching funds from UWS Nepean. ; The Observatory is on the Werrington North Campus of the University. The observatory was the brain-child of the Head of the Nepean Centre for Astronomy, Dr Graeme White, who raised the money for the project, oversaw its construction and brought the project to fruition.  The Nepean Observatory was designed and built by Form Architects of Sydney. Dr White was employed at UWS Nepean from 1990 to 2001. This web site is designed to document the construction of the Nepean Observatory and to show some of its activities.

Nepean Observatory Logo

A-Construction of the Nepean Observatory prior to the dome being placed in postion

Top     B-CONSTRUCTION AND PLACEMENT OF THE SIX METRE DOME ON THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY

	Nepean Centre for Astronomy staff. Dr Bruce McAdam (Adjunct ­ on left),Dr Paul Jones and Dr Graeme White.  Photograph taken in front(eastern side) of the observatory during its construction.
	Dr Paul Jones (left), Alex Hons and Dr Bruce McAdam in front of the Nepean Observatory.
	Dr Bruce McAdam, Dr Paul Jones and Dr Graeme White in front of the observatory.
	Dr Bruce McAdam, Dr Paul Jones, John Piperias and Alex Hons on the western side of the Nepean Observatory.
	Looking west across the slab floor of the observatory.  In the distance are the Blue Mountains.  The square hole is for the pier that will hold the telescope on the first floor.
	Looking north-west showing the steel portal construction and the slab floor.
	Looking north-west, a general view of the steel portals and the slab floor.
	Looking north, showing septic tank, and ground floor slab.
	Looking south-east, the dome base is taking shape and the reinforcement for the pier is in place.  The block construction is Hebel-block.
	Looking west, the lower floor block is in place as are two the windows in the lower dome base. ; The reinforcement for the pier is in place.
	Looking west, the pier is in place, as are the supports for the upper floor and the upper floor itself.
	Looking south-east, the lower floor walls and the pier are in place.
	Looking east at the dome area.
	The lower dome base  wall.  The banded wall is built in Hebel block and the circular porthole is roughly ready.
	Looking east at the dome area, lower floor.
	Looking south-east at the foyer and toilet area. The car is Dr White's “red dwarf”.
	Looking south-west through the lecture theatre, the foyer, the shop, the dome at the Werrington TAFE in the distance.
	Hebel block stacked ready for the construction.
	Looking north-west with Dr White's Red Dwarf car in the foreground.
	Looking north through the Lecture Theatre.
	Looking north through the Lecture Theatre.
	Inside the lecture theatre.
	Outside the north end, looking west. Roof and windows are in place.
	Looking west.
	Looking east from next to the dome.
	Looking north-west.
	Looking at the Foyer area from outside.
	The Main Entrance with doors in place.
	Looking at the Lecture Theatre from the north-east.
	The Northern wall of the Lecture Theatre looking south-east.
	The north wall of the Lecture Theatre looking south­west.
	Looking south-east at the building prior to the dome being placed on.
	Looking south-east at the building prior to the dome being placed on.

B-Construction and Placement of the six metre Dome on the Nepean Observatory

Top     C-THE COMPLETED NEPEAN OBSERVATORY

	The dome central arch pieces in the yard of the construction factory in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
	Other sections of the dome aperture in the yard of the construction factory.
	Ribs and a section of the dome on the floor of the construction company in Brisbane.
	The back of the dome aperture in the yard of the construction company.
	The dome is trucked from Brisbane and unloaded at the Nepean Observatory site on the Werrington North Campus of the University of Western Sydney Nepean.
	Parts of the dome are being unloaded next to the crane that will assist in the assembly of the dome.
	The crane helps to construct the dome.
	The dome drive mechanism.
	Work commences on the construction of the dome.
	The dome is half completed.
	The dome is half completed and work has stopped for the night.
	Graduate student Martin W.B. Anderson (later Dr Anderson) and Dr Paul Jones in front of the observatory and the partly completed dome.
	The partly completed dome.
	The partly completed dome.
	Work commences the next morning.
	Dr Paul Jones examines the mechanism that opens and closed the Palomar-type dome aperture.
	The big crane arrives to lift the dome onto the observatory.
	The crane is ready to lift the dome ring.
	The dome drive mechanism in place on the dome ring.
	The dome is lifted on.
	The dome is lifted on.
	The dome is lifted on.
	The dome is in place on the Nepean Observatory.
	Part of the team that built the Nepean Observatory. From Left to right; Gamini Karunaweera (Deputy Director of Capital Development at UWS Nepean), Ron Edgar (Director of Form Architects who designed and built the building), Harvey Tindall (Director of Capital Development at UWS Nepean), Kathy Primorac, Dr David Tilbrook, Dr Paul Jones and Robert Hollow.
	The dome on the completed building.
	The dome on the completed building.

C-The Completed Nepean Observatory

Top     D-THE CONTRUCTION OF THE OPTICS FOR THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY 24INCH (0.6 METRE TELESCOPE)

	The completed Nepean Observatory before painting.
	The Nepean Observatory after painting.
	The Nepean Observatory after trees were planted
	The dome section of the Nepean Observatory.
	The Nepean Observatory from the hill showing the city of Penrith in the valley and the Blue Mountains on the horizon

D-The Construction of the Optics for the Nepean Observatory 24 Inch (0.6 Metre Telescope)

Top     E-THE MECHANICAL PARTS OF THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY TELESCOPE

The telescope in the Nepean Observatory is a 24 inch (0.6 m) Ritchie Chretien (RC). These optics were built by Mark Suchting of Sydney. These photographs have been taken by him.

	Mark Suchting with his mirror grinder/polisher and test rack in the background.
	Motor for the polisher.
	The 0.6 m primary mirror being polished
	The mirror being moved.
	The mirror being moved.
	The mirror being moved.
	The mirror being moved .
	Mirror being placed in the test rack.
	The mirror in the test rack.
	The mirror in the test rack seen from behind.
	The zone testing mask in front of the mirror.
	The 0.6 m RC primary mirror for the Nepean Observatory telescope.

E-The Mechanical Parts of the Nepean Observatory Telescope

Top     F-THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE NEPEAN OBSERVATORY

The 0.6 m Nepean Observatory telescope was designed by Dr Graeme White and brought into fruition by the detailed mechanical drawings made by Chris Burdette. The telescope was manufactured locally in Western Sydney and put together by a team of enthusiasts.

	The base of the telescope for the Nepean Observatory in storage in the UWS Nepean Engineering Workshop ready for painting and assembly.
	The polar bearing cone of the telescope.
	The stainless steel RA friction disk of the telescope.
	Dr Paul Jones and the central box section of the tube of the telescope.
	. The RA disk, the polar cone and the central box of the 0.6 m telescope in storage ready for assembly
	The painted polar cone and fork of the telescope. The colours chosen were the formal colours of UWS Nepean (blue, white and orange).
	Chris Burdett and the truck driver (behind) load the painted base of the telescope for transport to the Nepean Observatory.
	The assembled polar cone, polar disk, fork and central box of the tube being loaded onto the truck.
	The heavy parts of the telescope loaded onto the truck ready for transport from the UWS Nepean Engineering Workshop to the Nepean Observatory
	The truck and crane at the observatory ready for the placement of the telescope into the observatory.
	Dr Graeme White guides the base of the telescope into the dome.
	The polar and box section are hoisted ready to be lowered into the dome.
	A good morning’s work! Chris Burdett (who did the engineering design), Dr Graeme White and Christina Bauer (graduate student) in front of the telescope.
	Chris Burdett, John Jarman (aka JJ - the founder and President of the Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group - WSAAG) and Dr Graeme White in front of the telescope.
	Dr Graeme White with the completed telescope some months later.

F-The Formal Opening of the Nepean Observatory

Top

The Observatory was formally opened by Dr Jay Apt from NASA’s Earth and Space Sciences Division in the presence of Professor Jill Maling the CEO of UWS Nepean and about 50 invited guests. Here are some of the photographs taken on that night.

	Dr Jay Apt (NASA’s Earth and Space Sciences Division) formally opens the Nepean Observatory.
	Professor Jill Maling (CEO of UWS Nepean) accepts a plaque from Dr Jay Apt.
	Dr Jay Apt and Dr Graeme White on the opening night of the Nepean Observatory.
	Dr Graeme White and Dr Jay Apt on the opening night of the Nepean Observatory.
Some of the people involved in the construction of the Nepean Observatory on the opening night. From left to right: Mark Suchting (manufacturer of the optics), Dr Paul Jones (Senior Lecturer in UWS Nepean Centre for Astronomy), Ron Edgar (Director of Form Architects), John Jarman (aka “JJ” - founder and President of Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group - WSAAG), Dr Graeme White (Head, UWS Nepean Centre for Astronomy), Chris Burdette (mechanical designer), Frank Bird (graduate student for the control systems) and Dr Jay Apt (NASA’s Earth and Space Sciences Division).
Students (and others) of the UWS Nepean Centre for Astronomy. From Left to right; Robert Hollow, Frank Bird, John Jarman (President of Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group), Dr Jay Apt (NASA’s Earth and Space Sciences Division), Dr Graeme White (Head, UWS Nepean Centre for Astronomy), Maria Hunt (now Dr Hunt), Miroslav Filipovic (now Dr Filipovic), Ben Lloyd (now Dr Lloyd), Christina Bauer and Martin W.B. Anderson (now Dr Anderson).
	Dr Graeme White and partner Jan Whalan.
	Dr Graeme White, Dr Raymond Haynes (CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility - ATNF), Ros Haynes (University of New South Wales) and Dr Russell Cannon (Director of the Anglo-Australian Observatory) at the opening of the Nepean Observatory
	Mark Suchting and Dr Graeme White at the opening of the Nepean Observatory
	Peter Nakich and John Jarman (JJ) from WSAAG at the opening of the Nepean Observatory.

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