tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post1187962669933285836..comments2024-03-01T21:25:50.289+11:00Comments on astropixie: siding spring obs. fires: day afterAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14621483772952311458noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-2464401640790858682013-06-08T02:31:51.759+10:002013-06-08T02:31:51.759+10:00We hope for safety and fast recovery for those cas...We hope for safety and fast recovery for those casulaties. Btw, I like your rainbow view. There's hope for them.Bookkeeper Caloundrahttp://www.darcyservices.com.au/bookkeepingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-5266092363674092322013-01-15T17:04:09.252+11:002013-01-15T17:04:09.252+11:00Site management had many things to consider. It is...Site management had many things to consider. It is always easy to highlight one deficiency in retrospect. Few compliment plans that work because there was no problem.<br /><br /> In prospect was a fire of unknown timing and severity. They planned and in the worst case fire that happened the high value instruments and structures seem to have survived passively. Most of the planning seems to have Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17699796049998373060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-79570523039944126202013-01-15T09:11:51.136+11:002013-01-15T09:11:51.136+11:00No flammable materials = no fire hazard. Clearly n...No flammable materials = no fire hazard. Clearly nice views were considered more important then fire safety. <br /><br />I like nature too so I can understand it but still the facts remain - those who made the call to leave vegetation in 1km radius of the facility are partly responsible for the damage. A proper buffer zone + no flammable materials on site would all but eliminate potential damage firenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-20300540422122366112013-01-14T21:17:09.342+11:002013-01-14T21:17:09.342+11:00Thanks for your updates Amanda! Glad to hear that ...Thanks for your updates Amanda! Glad to hear that everyone is safe. Hopefully the damage can be repaired soon and AAO can resume its activities and surprise us with more wonderful science.<br /><br />Greetings from the antipodes. <br />MiguelVAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-83324899994335553042013-01-14T19:49:34.026+11:002013-01-14T19:49:34.026+11:00Thank you for all the updates. Good luck for what...Thank you for all the updates. Good luck for whatever the deadline is for.ALOHAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07832517706578172866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-61269628731905142232013-01-14T19:31:49.517+11:002013-01-14T19:31:49.517+11:00Dear Amanda, thanks a lot for your comments over t...Dear Amanda, thanks a lot for your comments over these last days. I was an astronomer at UNSW for almost three years and spent many nights both at AAO and the 2.3m telescope, and SSO remains my favourite observatory since then. I´ve been following your updates, and just wanted to let you know personally that your effort is deeply thanked.<br /><br />Best luck with your deadline and with your workAlbertohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03950933739326216741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-18389724256123934562013-01-14T13:23:28.444+11:002013-01-14T13:23:28.444+11:00When I visited two weeks ago I noted the big teles...When I visited two weeks ago I noted the big telescope was very well protected from fire. It would have to be a canopy fire and linger near the site for a long time to do any damage as there was significant distance from the tree line to the telescope. I don't know about other areas as they are restricted to visitors.<br /><br />The temps that were recorded were from the weather station only Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03854550117692618725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-77842314790860657972013-01-14T13:18:10.846+11:002013-01-14T13:18:10.846+11:00The outside temperature recording and wind speed w...The outside temperature recording and wind speed would be from the weather station at the north end of the car park, between the workshop (large building adjoining the AAT dome, and one of the cottages. The bitumen adjoining that cottage has a shed and carport at its eastern end, and I saw in the photos that they were destroyed. I was monitoring the AAT weather feed and saw that 104.2C appear, soGordonhttp://gunagulla.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-72519851819799597272013-01-14T13:13:45.340+11:002013-01-14T13:13:45.340+11:00Anonymous 1: there are very large firefighting tan...Anonymous 1: there are very large firefighting tanks on site. There's also a fire truck, and pumps everywhere. But there's only 1 road off, and staff are more important than property, so everyone was evacuated. Hence no manning the pumps (although I think RFS were onsite at some stage watering things down).<br /><br />Anonymous 2: Most astronomers appreciate the natural world, hence Tim Connorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05302214674442547587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-74524883943823326522013-01-14T12:57:02.856+11:002013-01-14T12:57:02.856+11:00Thank you for your most helpful and informative po...Thank you for your most helpful and informative posts.<br />I must say, having seen the devastation at Mt Stromlo a decade ago, and having some experience of the 'chimney effect' on fires racing up slopes to facilities on hilltops, that I'm really surprised that planners allowed vegetation to remain in the vicinity of these priceless facilities. I suspect that environmentalist Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-38618825211981543062013-01-14T11:37:07.819+11:002013-01-14T11:37:07.819+11:00Amanda,
I doubt whether most Australians will eve...Amanda,<br /><br />I doubt whether most Australians will even realise how close we came to completely losing a unique, state of the art research facility. I hope there is only a short break before science is resumed.<br /><br />Reading your blog and following the events on Twitter yesterday has been rivetting and alarming. <br /><br />Please keep going with your eye-opening posts!<br /><br />Ggreybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14936927497649860045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-52157416434995480402013-01-14T11:17:12.381+11:002013-01-14T11:17:12.381+11:00That pic looks as though building is sound so that...That pic looks as though building is sound so that is good sign. The meteorite samples will be ok at least!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03854550117692618725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-25635602169316011412013-01-14T11:04:56.680+11:002013-01-14T11:04:56.680+11:00One of the RFS photos shows the Visitor's Cent...One of the RFS photos shows the Visitor's Centre fairly clearly, and it looks to be intact:<br /><br />https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/64913_10151382337105552_1273498246_n.jpgBarry Brookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14508590187459871783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-57963581178054951612013-01-14T10:55:44.955+11:002013-01-14T10:55:44.955+11:00edward - i know they extinguished the fires at the...edward - i know they extinguished the fires at the visitor center only this morning, but i have not seen photos or heard specific reports. i will post what i find out. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14621483772952311458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-78201441832538339902013-01-14T10:53:28.320+11:002013-01-14T10:53:28.320+11:00Can anyone update on visitor centre damage asap as...Can anyone update on visitor centre damage asap as there were some unique items there. (Particularly the models)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03854550117692618725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-23517261183624992262013-01-14T10:29:13.534+11:002013-01-14T10:29:13.534+11:00Thanks Amanda. Suggestion has been submitted.
Thanks Amanda. Suggestion has been submitted.<br />Ian@VSSECnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-70171434616412534972013-01-14T10:24:50.633+11:002013-01-14T10:24:50.633+11:00I hope this near miss is enough for Siding Spring ...I hope this near miss is enough for Siding Spring to invest in a 100,000 L water tank (3x30,000L for around $9K) and a 4" firse pump ($1k) With that and some hose the areaaround the observatory could have been drenched. Seems like a good $10K one off insurance premium. Rain run off should fill the tank in time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-83518804956283262122013-01-14T09:37:15.860+11:002013-01-14T09:37:15.860+11:00ian - good suggestion! here's a link to APOD...ian - good suggestion! here's a link to APOD with contact info: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14621483772952311458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-13154026541388472582013-01-14T09:29:53.354+11:002013-01-14T09:29:53.354+11:00How do we suggest that NSWRFS photo as APOD? Or ev...How do we suggest that NSWRFS photo as APOD? Or even Amateur APOD?Ian@VSSECnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-66792183318658135812013-01-14T09:27:29.293+11:002013-01-14T09:27:29.293+11:00Hello Amanda
Glad you are safe and hopefully the r...Hello Amanda<br />Glad you are safe and hopefully the rest of the residents of the area are too including the four legged furry ones! All I can really say is WOW !<br />Mother nature can be beautiful and destructive as well.Nothing is permanent.Things will grow back and buildings can be rebuilt!<br />Peace and Clear Skies !<br />7718<br /><br />skywatcher88http://wdmagee.webs.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-57685939952452568342013-01-14T08:56:33.700+11:002013-01-14T08:56:33.700+11:00This blog and you twitter feed have been the best ...This blog and you twitter feed have been the best sources of information about the observatory throughout this fire emergency. Thanks for the great work.noswonkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02643503839717773034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-23558669542690714192013-01-14T08:32:54.993+11:002013-01-14T08:32:54.993+11:00'dark line' on the 2.3m dome is just the o...'dark line' on the 2.3m dome is just the outside metal stairs, I think - stairway is unpainted, so looks darker than the domeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-44922634014980316442013-01-14T08:30:25.728+11:002013-01-14T08:30:25.728+11:00The diagonal line in the photo is the steps up to ...The diagonal line in the photo is the steps up to the roof.<br />Thanks for your updates! I worked at SSO from 1993-1996 and 2002 to 2011, and am glad to see most buildings survived, including Cottage 5, where I stayed. I was watching the HAT South webcam and all-sky until the feed went off air yesterday and saw the flames advance and retreat a few times.Gordonhttp://gunagulla.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-2780506669087872372013-01-14T08:29:15.808+11:002013-01-14T08:29:15.808+11:00The diagonal line on the 2.3m is the external stai...The diagonal line on the 2.3m is the external staircase to the roof so nothing amiss there. Glad to see all the telescopes intact. Hopefully no/minimal heat & smoke damage inside.Rob Hollowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01586995278615732026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32546160.post-59294396819746128222013-01-14T08:24:38.670+11:002013-01-14T08:24:38.670+11:00Photos from NSW RFS online at www.facebook.com/nsw...Photos from NSW RFS online at www.facebook.com/nswrfsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com