WJ Macdonnell’s telescope then and now. by blinkings

Photography • Historical • posted on Apr 19, 2018

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Description

Amateur astronomer William John Macdonnell purchased this telescope from Thomas Grubb’s Astronomical Instrument Works in Dublin, Ireland, in about 1885. Macdonnell imported the telescope to Port Macquarie in New South Wales. There he installed it in a purpose-built observatory behind the Bank of New South Wales, where he worked as manager, and turned it to the heavens. Macdonnell used the telescope in a range of observing programs, focusing on transit events, comets, sunspots, double stars and the features of the planets. He was forced to sell the instrument during the financial crisis of the 1890s. The telescope then passed through the hands of a number of Australia’s amateur astronomers. The Sydney architect EH Beattie used it extensively from 1906, publishing many scientific papers based on his observations. By 1921, however, the telescope had been dismantled and placed in storage, where it remained for most of the next 85 years. It is now on proud permanent display at The Australian National Museum in Canberra. See it below in 1885!