Perth Observatory research axed
The West Australian January 22, 2013, 12:24 pm

Research programs at Perth Observatory have been axed as part of the WA government spending cuts, leaving the 116-year-old facility purely for public tours.

The revelation came on ABC local radio today, prompting astronomy boffins to flood talkback lines to vent their outrage.

Peter Birch, who was the observatory’s senior astronomer for 35 years until 2005, said the decision had “been in the wind” for several months.

“I think it’s an absolute disgrace that the state government is going to cut out science at Perth Observatory altogether – it’s not just being cut, it’s being cancelled,” he said.

“The reason that it’s so important that Perth Observatory does science is that it’s located in an isolated place in the southern hemisphere.

“The next observatory to the east is on the east coast of Australia and the next observatory to the west is in South Africa, so we fill a big hole as far as longitude and time goes in astronomy.

“If you take away the expertise of the staff that work there, it’s lost forever because they’ll have to go elsewhere to find work.”

Mr Birch estimated that the state government would save a few hundred thousand dollars a year by axing research at the observatory and reducing it to an astronomy “museum”.

The observatory falls under the portfolio of Environment Minister Bill Marmion, who was not immediately available for comment.

Some talkback callers said they were so angered by the announcement that they would not vote for the Liberals at the March 9 election, while others questioned the wisdom of the state government’s Future Fund at a time when it is cutting costs across the public service.

Perth Observatory, Western Australia’s oldest observatory, in 1977 played a key role in discovering the rings around Uranus, which were not visible from the northern hemisphere.

It also accounted for 10 per cent of images taken of Haley’s Comet in 1986.
“It’s just an example of how important it is to have observatories all around the world,” Mr Birch said.

That is a tad short sighted and most disappointing as well.

ABC local radio had a bit of melt-down this morning over it. I’m a bit dismayed at the news quite frankly, but it won’t change the way I vote.

>Mr Birch estimated that the state government would save a few hundred thousand dollars a year by axing research at the observatory and reducing it to an astronomy “museum”.<

Surely Gina Rinehart could come to its rescue.

ms spock said:

That is a tad short sighted and most disappointing as well.

One would think that WA would have plenty of revenue from ripping up the earth.

roughbarked said:

ms spock said:

That is a tad short sighted and most disappointing as well.

One would think that WA would have plenty of revenue from ripping up the earth.

Yes I hadn’t thought of that roughbarked.

Bubblecar said:

>Mr Birch estimated that the state government would save a few hundred thousand dollars a year by axing research at the observatory and reducing it to an astronomy “museum”.<

Surely Gina Rinehart could come to its rescue.

Nah, she’d go even further. Probably leave it to survive solely on gate receipts from visitors, and if that isn’t enough to cover costs then it doesn’t deserve to exist. She’s a hardline free market type, and anti-science anyway given she funds fake lord Monckton and his ilk.

roughbarked said:

ms spock said:

That is a tad short sighted and most disappointing as well.

One would think that WA would have plenty of revenue from ripping up the earth.

That’s all going on digging a new lake on the river foreshore.

Bubblecar said:

Surely Gina Rinehart could come to its rescue.

Only if it found good stuff to mine on other worlds.

Bubblecar said:

>Mr Birch estimated that the state government would save a few hundred thousand dollars a year by axing research at the observatory and reducing it to an astronomy “museum”.<

Surely Gina Rinehart could come to its rescue.

Good call Bubble..

I second this motion

they’ve already spent a billion on some stupid colloseum in perth haven’t they?

bread and circuses

Divine Angel said:

Bubblecar said:

Surely Gina Rinehart could come to its rescue.

Only if it found good stuff to mine on other worlds.

Or perhaps a new planet full of lovely. fatty animals that she could devour.

sibeen said:

Divine Angel said:

Bubblecar said:

Surely Gina Rinehart could come to its rescue.

Only if it found good stuff to mine on other worlds.

Or perhaps a new planet full of lovely. fatty animals that she could devour.

we could call her “nibbler” and collect her nuggets of wisdom

muses

I wonder how many pot plants are located in this ‘so called’ observatory.

sibeen said:

muses

I wonder how many pot plants are located in this ‘so called’ observatory.

festooned with them

they had to remove the telescope and computers to get them all in

wookiemeister said:

they’ve already spent a billion on some stupid colloseum in perth haven’t they?

Actually, no. That hasn’t happened yet.

party_pants said:

wookiemeister said:

they’ve already spent a billion on some stupid colloseum in perth haven’t they?

Actually, no. That hasn’t happened yet.

i can hear the roar of the crowds now

i got his wooden sword as recognition as my services to the arena

maximus they called me

wookiemeister said:

party_pants said:

wookiemeister said:

they’ve already spent a billion on some stupid colloseum in perth haven’t they?

Actually, no. That hasn’t happened yet.

i can hear the roar of the crowds now

i got his wooden sword as recognition as my services to the arena

maximus they called me

That’s at the old arena at Subiaco. The crowd there generally aren’t roaring to applaud anyone, they are all busting for a piss and want you to hurry up and finish so they can all rush off and join the queue for one of the 5 available toilets.

party_pants said:

wookiemeister said:

party_pants said:

Actually, no. That hasn’t happened yet.

i can hear the roar of the crowds now

i got his wooden sword as recognition as my services to the arena

maximus they called me

That’s at the old arena at Subiaco. The crowd there generally aren’t roaring to applaud anyone, they are all busting for a piss and want you to hurry up and finish so they can all rush off and join the queue for one of the 5 available toilets.

thats now, i’m talking about in the old days when there was a magnificance and majesty. it was a pleasure to perform for the crowds then.

in the break they would throw bread to them

wookiemeister said:

party_pants said:

wookiemeister said:

i can hear the roar of the crowds now

i got his wooden sword as recognition as my services to the arena

maximus they called me

That’s at the old arena at Subiaco. The crowd there generally aren’t roaring to applaud anyone, they are all busting for a piss and want you to hurry up and finish so they can all rush off and join the queue for one of the 5 available toilets.

thats now, i’m talking about in the old days when there was a magnificance and majesty. it was a pleasure to perform for the crowds then.

in the break they would throw bread to them

hang on

i remember you

you had that ghastly wig and would try to put me off stroke

wookiemeister said:

thats now, i’m talking about in the old days when there was a magnificance and majesty. it was a pleasure to perform for the crowds then.

in the break they would throw bread to them

what – in Perth??

party_pants said:

wookiemeister said:

thats now, i’m talking about in the old days when there was a magnificance and majesty. it was a pleasure to perform for the crowds then.

in the break they would throw bread to them

what – in Perth??

one of the lesser known roman cities

wookiemeister said:

party_pants said:

wookiemeister said:

thats now, i’m talking about in the old days when there was a magnificance and majesty. it was a pleasure to perform for the crowds then.

in the break they would throw bread to them

what – in Perth??

one of the lesser known roman cities

We might have been outside of Hadrian’s Physiological Barrier.

i’ve been to hadrian’s psychological barrier

scary place

wookiemeister said:

i’ve been to hadrian’s psychological barrier

scary place

Famous for its dunnies though. At least it had more dunnies than Subiaco Oval.

party_pants said:

wookiemeister said:

i’ve been to hadrian’s psychological barrier

scary place

Famous for its dunnies though. At least it had more dunnies than Subiaco Oval.

he was better the last bloke, he killed his mother and married a horse

>We might have been outside of Hadrian’s Physiological Barrier.

A bunch of Pricts.

sibeen said:

>We might have been outside of Hadrian’s Physiological Barrier.

A bunch of Pricts.

i happen to have a very good friend called maxiumus pricts