Works Start on GRAS South Observatory

This month saw the first soil turned at our observatory site atop Siding Spring.

Sunday morning and our skilled and experienced observatory builder Jason Newton, took his first samples of the underlying soil on the site for tests in compaction and electrical conductivity.

The soil was a rich volcanic deep red, with plenty of moisture and very little debris (apart from the odd Kangaroo bone). Conductivity tests will allow us to gauge the amount of lightning protection the structure will require.

Testing underway.

GRAS Siding Spring - Construction Soon!

Global Rent-a-Scope announces the successful completion of formal negotiations for its new Southern Hemisphere Observatory based at Siding Spring, Australia.

Artists impression. GRAS Observatory Siding Spring.- North East.

Global Rent-a-Scope announces the successful completion of formal negotiations for its new Southern Hemisphere Observatory based in Siding Spring, Australia. 

On the 25th of October 2011, the Australian National University (ANU) and Global Rent-a-Scope (GRAS), reached an agreement for the construction and establishment of the new GRAS Southern Observatory located at Siding Spring Observatory, near Coonabarabran, Australia.

“This is an exciting opportunity, which will allow us to bring the Siding Spring skies to the general public, as well as to amateur and professional astronomers alike, via the world’s largest, on-demand, Internet-based, remote telescope network. We expect the new observatory to become fully operational by early next year. 

This will allow our members to reliably participate in astronomical research and astro-photography under the southern skies. We are also pleased to announce that we will be installing six telescopes initially, including a brand new 0.5 metre (20”) research grade telescope.

We are making additional plans with the ANU involving the installation of an Internet- connected, public-outreach telescope at Siding Spring, in conjunction with our existing outreach telescope in New Mexico. As a result, the general public will be able to take digital colour images of astronomical wonders in real time with only a few mouse clicks. Also for the first time ever, the general public visiting Siding Spring will be able to take LIVE images of the night sky using the Internet via the GRAS New Mexico-based observatory.

The outreach program will be extended, allowing members of the general public to take remote images of the night sky from the comfort of their homes via the Internet, using the telescopes located in Siding Spring and New Mexico”, said Bradley Moore, Managing Director of Global Rent-a-Scope. 

The GRAS Southern Observatory at Siding Spring will occupy a location on the eastern ridge at an elevation of 1,165m (3,822 ft), unsurpassed for a publicly-accessible observatory in Australia. The observatory is located about 150m from the 2m Las Cumbres South and the 1.2m UK Schmidt telescopes, seen peeking above the tree line in the artist’s rendering of the planned observatory.

The observatory will house up to 18+ robotic Internet-connected telescopes of various sizes, from compact wide field APO refractors to large 0.5 metre (20”) reflecting telescopes. GRAS already has over a dozen remotely controlled telescopes online within its network, including observatory locations in Nerpio, Spain and New Mexico, USA.

The new southern observatory with its active outreach program will enable the general public and school students from all over the world to explore astronomy and enjoy the wonders in the night skies over both hemispheres.

Here we go!

GRAS - First Steps towards a Southern Adventure

This week GRAS has made the first step towards establishment of its new Southern Observatory at Siding Spring, Australia.

We have moved our local support crew to the site after a minor miracle in logistics. We now have a presence on the mountain and are able to work directly with our builders and local administrators.

Internet issues at the Site HQ have been addressed and we now have full comms.

Organisation of detailed site drawings and designs as well as tests on the bedrock of the prime location are next on the agenda.

We have been made to feel very welcome by the locals on the mountain at Siding Spring and have also met with some of the members the Astronomical Society of Coonabarabran. A very kind and active group of keen astronomers indeed. We hope to be able to work closely with the ASC and the good people we met that work on the mountain in the coming years.

GRAS-SO Project. Updated

The GRAS Southern Observatory project at Siding Spring is moving closer and we are in the last stages of completing the necessary agreements with the RSAA administrators of the site. We thank them for the great support they have given the project from day one. Our builders are being prepared and drawings made.

GRAS Support (Pete) will be moving to Siding Spring in August to help organise and oversee construction of the observatory and function as Observatory Manager. We have selected two prime possible locations (Site A) on the RSAA ridge which is close to the 2.3m ATT telescope and the other near the 4m AAT Telescope adjacent to the 2m Faulkes Telescope (Site B).

The GRAS Observatory will be a large roll off roof structure housing up to 24 telescopes. We are selecting very advanced materials and designs are being worked on presently. All going well we expect to have first light sometime during Feb-Mar of 2012.

The two GRAS sites proposed for the Siding Spring Location.

GRAS - SO June Meeting at Siding Spring

Following a successful round of meetings with RSAA admin at Mount Stromlo Observatory in Canberra during May 2011, GRAS travelled to Siding Spring this week to further our commitment to its new Southern Project.

Despite large airline flight disruptions due to volcanic ash clouds over eastern Australia, the latest round of GRAS meetings with the friendly RSAA administration and staff at Siding Spring Mountain went smoothly and have proved very productive. 

Brad Moore met with and discussed various construction options with our engineers and closely inspected the site options presently available to GRAS for its new Southern Observatory.

Two distinct locations are under consideration. Site A could be used with two separate 14 telescope enclosures installed or Site B which is suitable for a single large 24 telescope observatory. Both sites have their own advantages and useful options.

The location for the GRAS Office and staff accommodation on the mountain was also inspected. It is also currently being renovated with new fittings and furnishings.

The weather at Siding Spring was also very encouraging during our stay. A heavy overcast during the afternoon of our visit rapidly became a cold clear evening triggering much activity on the mountain by its many facilities getting ready for a full night of observation. The professional atmosphere at a location like Siding Spring becomes an exciting buzz with much incoming traffic, dome activity and the steady hum of cooling fans and pumps coming to life in the dusk.

Further updates as the project develops.

GRAS-SO Updates

In response to overwhelming interest in the development of the new Australian GRAS site above Coonabarabran, our news and development updates will be posted on this web page for easy viewing.

We have taken the current pages and related news articles down from the rest of our site to avoid duplication and we are consolidating this information into this page. In the mean time please contact us directly if you have any inquiries.

Please be assured that our proposal is moving ahead as planned. We are working very closely with the Research School of Astrophysics and Astronomy (RSAA).

We will be meeting with the good people at RSAA again, this time at their office located at Mt Stromlo Observatory, Canberra on the 30th of May to discuss the continued development of the new site and the project as a whole.

We are on track and everything is going to to plan.

Brad Moore
Global Rent-a-Scope

Update on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 1:37PM by Aussie Pete - Admin

The GRAS May 30th meetings with RSAA went very smoothly and we are now heading to Siding Spring on June 20th for further meetings with all the team members involved. We will be looking at location details and logistics.

GRAS Australia - The Ultimate Location

It is with great pleasure and not a little excitement that we can finally reveal the proposed site for the new GRAS South Facility at The Siding Spring Observatory.

Located 1,165 metres (3,822 ft) above sea level in the Warrumbungle Mountains of New South Wales, Siding Spring is Australia’s ultimate destination for professional astronomy.

The Siding Spring complex was established in the late 1970’s and operated on behalf of the Australian National University by the Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics (RSAA).

Siding Spring mountain already has several very large telescopes. Including the 2.3m ATT, the 4m AAT, 2m Faulkes South Telescope, the 1.24m UK Schmidt Telescope, 1.3m Skymapper II and many international research systems including robotic patrol and survey telescopes.

RSAA Ridge on Siding Spring Mountain

GRAS South could be sharing the same skies and locale as some of the finest and most prestigious instruments in the southern hemisphere without need for an Oxygen mask.

The new GRAS telescope enclosure at Siding Spring would be a high tech observatory with room for 14-20 large aperture telescopes.

The GRAS South facility will feature high speed internet connections, automated roof control, weather/sky monitoring systems along with onsite support. It will be the new home for G8, G9, G12, G13, G15 and a few new GRAS systems still under wraps.

GRAS will also be making available a private telescope hosting service within the new observatory, with GRAS staff on site in dedicated support. Your own telescope can image the skies of the southern hemisphere with GRAS doing all the setup work for you.

GRAS Australia. Under the Southern Cross

GRAS - New Mexico Skies & AstroCampGlobal Rent A Scope has been searching far and wide for the very best location to build our new remote telescope facility in Australia. The Moorook site we had been using was abandoned for various reasons. We currently have our southern systems based at our ‘backup’ location at Officer in Victoria. Being a backup site it is not ideal, but its functional and safe.

Many candidate sites have been examined and then rejected, failing to match our rather strict criteria. Locations such as the highlands near Canberra, northern Victoria, Toowoomba in Queensland, Western Australia and even the Moorook district of South Australia yet again, but these options simply could not tick all the boxes on our long “must have” list.

• Best Dark skies- priority
• High Speed communications- priority
• Best Elevation - priority
• Best clear night statistics- priority
• Best Local Seeing conditions- priority
• Clear horizons
• Security for equipment
• 3 Phase 240v power
• Close to major transport
• Close to support services
• Accommodation for support staff
• Budget constraints

‘Rogue’ Roll Off GRAS Obs

The good news is that GRAS has now found a candidate site that fills all our needs and ticks all the boxes.

Although we are still in earnest mediations with the site owners, we feel confident that we have located a premier location for GRAS South. GRAS will be travelling to the area for meetings and inspections at the site often in the next few months.

The new telescope enclosures will be very high tech. We are seeking approvals for an 18 meter, all steel ‘Roll Off’ structure similar to those at our New Mexico Skies facility. It will be home for 14-16 large aperture remote telescopes all under the one roof.

The GRAS facility will also feature high speed internet connections, automated roof control, weather/sky monitoring systems along with a small workshop / warm room for onsite support. It will be the new home for G8, G9, G12, G13, G15 and a few new GRAS systems.

We are pleased to announce that GRAS will also be offering private remote telescope hosting at what will, without doubt, be the finest possible location for remote astronomy in Australia.

Its early days and we will update you as our GRAS South proposal develops.