IT TURNS out size does matter as the telescope used to take the first known photos of Sputnik is too big to fit in the new Tamworth astronomy centre.
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The Swedish Uppsala telescope was donated to the Tamworth Regional Astronomy Club after the state-of-the-art facility was built, but the equipment was too good of an offer to refuse.
The telescope is about five metres long and four metres high, and is being restored in Andromeda Industries' founder Raymond McLaren's back shed in Moonbi.
The Uppsala is a huge telescope, Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) councillor Phil Betts said.
"The big Uppsala is certainly not going to fit in there," he said.
"The plan is first of all to restore the instrument, because they are being brought up into modern technology and the longer term plan is to construct another observing dome for that instrument.
"Basically we've had to change the plan because of the size, the instrument has been donated after the construction was finalised, it was donated by the Australian National University."
The idea is to have a fundraiser down the track to build another home for the Uppsala, which was built in Sweden in 1957.
It's been used in studies of the Milky Way, discovered more than 400 potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids and discovered the Great Daylight Comet in 2007 - the brightest comet seen in more than four decades.
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There's a lot of work that still needs to be done to restore the machine and others slated to be housed at the astronomy centre.
The way the complex has been constructed means all the infrastructure is there to continue to build on, Cr Betts said.
"The whole complex has been designed to be an ongoing project," he said.
"It's not confined to what's there now and it will cater for future acquisitions."
Engineer Mr McLaren said the Uppsala is one of the best old instruments the club has taken into care.
"We'll be restoring it, painting it, getting it upgraded, it's a historical piece of astronomical equipment," he said.
"Since we designed the centre these other telescopes have come onto our plate, in the longer term we might be able to have a special historical segment like a museum.
"We've also been donated some radio astronomy equipment from NASA that was used on the moon landings."
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
