POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Notes

The medal is named after Dr David Malin who is regarded as one of the world's leading astro-photographers. David Malin was born in England in 1941 and trained originally as a chemist and worked as a microscopist. He moved to Sydney in 1975 and joined the team at the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO) [see below for further detail]. While working at the AAO, Malin used photographic plates with hypersensitised emulsions, and he developed processing techniques that enabled him and other astronomers to identify very faint astronomical objects that were normally obscured by their brighter surroundings. Malin has produced astronomical images that highlight previously unnoticed characteristics of deep-space objects such as low surface brightness galaxies. His colour images are internationally known through books and other publications including record covers and stamps and they have captured the popular imagination of the broader community with their beauty and dramatic presence. Malin was acknowledged for his contribution to astro-photography, when in September 2000 he received the Lennart Nilsson Award. He retired from the AAO in 2001 and is active in presenting lectures and exhibitions on astro-photography. The Anglo-Australian Observatory (AA0) and Anglo-Australia Telescope (AAT) The original charter for the AAO, provided for world-class optical and infrared facilities for British and Australian astronomers. The Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, is an independent, bi-national authority funded by the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom. The Board's facilities consist of the 3.9 metre Anglo-Australia Telescope (AAT) and the 1.2 metre UK Schmidt Telescope (UKST). The Observatory and facilities are located on Siding Spring Mountain, Coonabarabran, New South Wales with the headquarters on the same grounds as the CSIRO's Division of Radiophysics, Epping, New South Wales. The Observatory came into operation on 16 October 1974. Important instrumentation and research features of the AAT include: (1) It was the first large optical telescope designed to use a computer for all its operations (for example, focusing, control of the dome and windscreen), and not just for the instrumentation. (2) The telescope's control system performs a wide range of scanning movements. (3) The Image Dissector Scanner allowed for taking the spectra of faint astronomical objects. (4) The incorporation of a Cassegrain spectrograph, an infrared grating spectrometer, a faint-object red spectrograph, a Cloudé Echelle spectrograph, a Bokensberg Image Photon Counting System, and an Infrared Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). (5) The discovery of explosive jets in the Orion Nebula (1993). (6) The monitoring of the evolution of supernova SN1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud. (7) The discovery, in 1977, of the second optical pulsar to be recorded. (8) The investigation of quasi-stellar objects (quasars). (9) Investigations concerned with the evolution of the universe, especially in regard to the increase of the number of hydrogen absorption lines in the red shift of the electromagnetic spectrum. (10) Studies in the formation of stars. (11) The 2dF galaxy and quasar redshift surveys that were completed in 2002. AstroFest and the David Malin Award In July 2004, the Central West Astronomical Society (CWAS) held their inaugural Festival of Astronomy (AstroFest). There was a two-day conference and a month-long program of associated events. The idea of AstroFest was to encourage and promote astronomy in the central west region of New South Wales. The area is home to the Parkes Radio Astronomy Observatory and the famous 64m Parkes Radio Telescope (and the less well featured 18m telescope). This facility was the first of its kind to be established in the Southern Hemisphere. The Parkes Radio Telescope was launched by the Governor General, the Rt. Hon. William Philip Sidney De L'Isle on 31 October 1961. Sydney Observatory was represented at the inaugural AstroFest with Andrew Constantine and Allan Kreuiter touring the Observatory's Astronomy PowerPak exhibit, and the award of the inaugural David Malin Award for amateur astro-photography to Geoffrey Wyatt, for his photograph of the 2004 transit of Venus. (The curator acknowledges the assistance of Dr Nick Lomb, Sydney Observatory, Geoff Wyatt, Sydney Observatory, and John Sarkissian, CSIRO, Parkes Radio Observatory, ATNF, in the preparation of this acquisition).