POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Photograph of Sydney Observatory meteorological instruments by Charles Bayliss

Object No. 95/239/9

By the end of the nineteenth century the Sydney Observatory had embarked on several major photographic projects. By this period the advances of astronomy by the aid of photography were numerous: the moon was first photographed in 1840; in 1850 a star; in 1854 a solar eclipse; in 1872 the spectrum of a star, in 1880 a nebula; in 1881 a comet; in 1897 the spectrum of a meteor; and in 1898 a stellar occultation of the moon. Russell understood the significant role photography was beginning to play in astronomy and one of his first photographic projects was to organise the New South Wales contingent of observers for the 1874 Transit of Venus. Photography was also integral to the second major international project Russell was involved in. This was the mapping of the stars in the southern section of the heavens using photography. Planning for this began in 1887 and started in 1890 after which it continued to play a major role in the activities at Sydney Observatory up until the 1960s. Starting in the 1890s Russell also began taking detailed photographs of the moon and meteorological events which occurred in Sydney. From around the same period photography began to be used by Russell to document the building, and its instruments. All of these activities suggest Russell placed a high degree of importance on the use of photography at the observatory. The resulting images remain significant documents of the scientific uses of photography by some of Australia's early scientists. Many are rare records of the instruments used at the observatory and the layout and fabric of the building itself. Others are also significant because they were taken by some of the leading photographers of the day. This rare photograph shows a range of meteorological instruments in the grounds of the Sydney Observatory. The photograph was taken by Charles Bayliss, one of Australia's most famous nineteenth century photographers, who was known for his eye for detail when it came to creating his photographs. Bayliss was commissioned to do a number of photographs for Sydney Observatory. Given the experience of the observatory's staff with photographic processes they must have had a high regard for this commercial photographer's work. Geoff Barker, Assistant Curator, Total Asset Management Project, January 2008 References Bhathal, R., Australian Astronomer; John Tebbutt, Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst, NSW, 1993 Haynes, Raymond, Haynes, Roslynn, Malin, David, McGee, Richard, Explorers of the Southern Sky, Cambridge University Press, 1996 Nangle, J., 'The Sydney Observatory; its history and work, Sydney Technical College, 1930 Todd, David, P., Stars and Telescopes, Sampson Low, Marston, and Co., 1900