siding spring observatory fires

i work for the australian astronomical observatory, which maintains and operates several telescopes at siding spring observatory - the largest optical observatory in australia.   i've spent many nights out at the observatory over the past 2 years, and always enjoy the ~7 hour drive northwest from sydney to get there.

today, bushfires swept through the warrumbungle national park, which grows around the observatory.   the observatory was officially evacuated by the NSW rural fire service sometime around 4pm today.  i received an email notification and then started watching websites, twitter, and the facebook pages of my colleagues for updates. 

all SSO staff evacuated the observatory to coonabarabran safely, and then we were left to watch images on the all-sky webcams.   dark smoke clouds cover the view...

then the NSW rural fire service posted this image, and i started to cry.   that's the 4-meter AAT, the telescope i use when i go. 

here is a view from about 30 minutes later.  

on instagram,  mr_unicomb posted this image from coonabarabran:

the AAO's website showed the recorded temperature scale, with an incredible peak above 100 degrees C (212 F)!!

but the temperature has receded and hopefully the worst is done.

there are 12 telescopes on site.  you can watch a timelapse of the 12 hours leading up to the flames from the LCOGT telescope at siding spring: here.

bush fires tore through the mt stromlo observatory near canberra, exactly 10 years ago this week.  i remember the event in detail as it happened when i was a graduate student.   as a result of those fires, many measures were taken to protect telescopes at SSO.   tomorrow we will see how well those protections held. 

as of 19:40, we know that some damage has occurred at the observatory, but the webcams are still functional.   i remain hopeful. 

UPDATE (20:00, sydney local time, 13 Jan 2013): Astronomers cannot communicate with the SkyMapper telescope remotely, but the 2.3m telescope is still talking to computers and working. fire service has confirmed there is damage at the observatory, and two nearby properties have been destroyed.   :(

UPDATE (20:20):  the MOPRA radio telescope that lives in the valley close to siding spring is offline.  no communication.   but astronomers are hopeful that the telescope is ok, as the wind was pushing the fire elsewhere when they lost contact.

Last visual communication from MOPRA

the recently constructed iTelescope facility has power and communication to site on siding spring. 

UPDATE (20:40):  the sun has set at siding spring.   a friend in nearby coona says small flames are visible through her camera on the hills below and around the observatory.  winds are blowing north, away from siding spring, thankfully.

UPDATE (20:47): another shot from MOPRA.   this one was at 17:58, 45 minutes before the one above was taken. 

UPDATE (20:55):  perspective from australian nobel laureate, brian schmidt (via facebook):

I have had what has to be a quintessential experience of the current era- watching a fire front pass through Siding Springs Observatory live, via the internet, using all of the remote observing information we have on various telescopes, while getting simultaneous news and views via twitter. In 2003, when MSO burned down, I got a single SMS from the Great Melbourne Telescope - which told me its temperature reading was out of range - 75C. The GMTs replacement, SkyMapper, only reached 65 today (although the AAT did make well over 100C), and while it is currently off-line - is clearly not a cinder like the GMT was a few minutes at the fire went through 9 years and 360 days ago. I fear a lot of damage has been done though, even if not the wholesale destruction we faced in 2003 at MSO. Tomorrow will tell, and then will come the long, slow process of recovery.

UPDATE (21:09): fires visible on siding springs from the LCOGT live webcams:

UPDATE (21:40): a timelapse video from the MOPRA telescope in the valley near siding spring.  it ends at sunset, so doesnt reflect the current situation (lots of flames up on siding spring):




UPDATE (21:49): as an observer was leaving siding spring today around 3:30 pm, after the official evacuation was called, he took this photo of SSO during the drive out.

leaving SSO this afternoon. (credit: tom shanks)

i havent said it yet, but a massive thank you to the NSW fire services.   they are incredibly brave and capable people. 

UPDATE (22:01): it appears now, according to the LCOGT cameras, that some building are close to, or on fire now.   these could include houses where staff members live, the lodge where astronomers stay (note: no one is on the mountain at this time), and the kitchen and dining room where astronomers eat while observing.

UPDATE (22:10): fire services need bandwidth and access to the webcams and have asked us to stay off of them, so i am.  tomorrow will be a long day.

UPDATE (22:30)  one webcam is mirrored to ANU, and this photo was just captured (credit: brian schmidt)... electronics are not surviving this heat.

UPDATE (23:00): the NSW rural fire services just posted an emergency statement on their website.  the fire is still strong, but moving away from coonabarabran (where are the SSO astronomers and staff are currently) and away from siding spring.   conditions are still too dangerous at site for anyone to go and assess the current damage.   it will have to wait until tomorrow. 

UPDATE (23:15):  good news!  astronomers are able to get readings from the 2.3 meter telescope on siding spring.  the interior temperature is ok (20 C).

a reminder, please stay off any webcams that access SSO, so that fire services can use them.


UPDATE (23:55):  follow major updates from the NSW fire services here.  feel free to leave updates in the comments.

i'm going to sleep (hopefully) and will give appropriate updates in the morning when i hear them.   many probably won't be good, i fear, but i'm relieved to know that all my friends and colleagues working at SSO were evacuated in time.  equipment is replaceable but people are not.  thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and your news updates.    good night.

ps.  i'll leave you with my favorite photo ever from siding spring.   this is the view early one morning, looking out at the warrumbungles from the catwalk around the 4 meter AAT telescope.

1) the story of what was discovered the first day after the fire:  siding spring observatory fires, the next day.

2) the second day: SSO - as the smoke clears.

3) the third day: SSO - day three.

4) the fourth day: SSO - day four.

5) one week after: SSO - one week later.

6) a week and a half: SSO - a week of waiting.

7) two and a half weeks: SSO - clean up begins.

8) almost three weeks: SSO - before and after fires.

9) almost ready to open: SSO - burn scars.

10) one month later: SSO - return to science.

11) two months later: SSO - regrowth.

12) April 2013: SSO opens to the public.

13) January 2014: SSO one year later.

new years explosions

thought i'd share some photos of my new years eve celebrations around sydney.  after keeping myself pretty isolated between christmas and NYE, i did some party-hopping and caught up with friends and the lovely harbour views of sydney. 

the opera house, and boats lined up on the water where ever they were allowed.

a stunt plane flew over and impressed with tricks as the sun was setting and the anticipation building.

sydney's skyline.

cosmic fireworks: a spiral galaxy, a comet, and a couple globular clusters!  ;) 

the explosions stretched up and down the harbour.  you can really get an idea of the extent from the helicopter shots in this video (click).

 finale buildup.  

sydney is definitely a fun place to celebrate the new year.   i was glad i could get home by foot though, because the traffic reports, both roadway and public transport, seemed unbelievable. 

a visit to mars

i've been asked by a lot of people over the years if i would be want to be an astronaut and whether i'd be willing to go to mars.  my answer is: sure!

buzz aldrin certainly wants to go to mars, as he revealed in this tweet to chris hadfield, an astronaut currently on the international space station! 

in case any of you are interested, the mars one project is a not-for-profit organization that is now looking for VOLUNTEERS TO GO TO MARS!  for more information, you can visit www.thenextgiantleap.com for all the selection details, but here is a snopsis.

Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, have a deep sense of purpose, willingness to build and maintain healthy relationships, the capacity for self-reflection and ability to trust. They must be resilient, adaptable, curious, creative and resourceful. Mars One is not seeking specific skill sets such as medical doctors, pilots or geologists. Rather, candidates will receive a minimum of eight years extensive training while employed by Mars One. While any formal education or real-world experience can be an asset, all skills required on Mars will be learned while in training.

for those of you interested in staying a little closer to home, but still wanting to explore mars, check out planet four - yet another awesome citizen science project from the zooniverse. 

here is a sampling of images that you could help sift through for that project.  amazing diversity!

Planet Four (credit: david miller)

Planet Four (credit: david miller)

highline moonwalk

this is a moonwalk unlike any you've seen.  watch the full screen version. 

it's calm, peaceful, beautiful, almost surreal.

adventure filmmaker bryan smith captured free climber Dean Potter using a canon 800mm super telephoto lens and sitting nearly a mile away!  they shot this at cathedral peak in yosemite national park. 

Moonwalk from Reel Water Productions on Vimeo.

kepler sonata

astronomer alex parker has created a neat visualization and piece of music based on the orbits of planets around a star called kepler-11.  he's done some other cool visualizations too, like the supernova sonata.   enjoy this one! 

three truths

it's worth checking out the whole graphic short story by mark ulriksen, but i particularly like this page.

everything is nothing

clever clever.

indoor clouds

netherlands-based artist Berndnaut Smilde has conjured clouds indoors!

photos by Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk

sydney's northern beaches

during the days between christmas and new years this season i stayed at the apartment of friends who live close to a beach called dee why, and were overseas for the holidays.   from their place, i did many coastal walks, sat on beaches reading books, ate an overabundance of fresh mangos and ripe avocados, and drank too much wine.   it was lovely. 

incidentally, if you've never read the bone graphic novels by jeff smith, you should, immediately.   such a clever, funny, engrossing adventure story on par with the best epics i've ever read or watched.  the series is a good gift for yourself or any reader of any age.   i recommend the color version (9 books), but they're a little more expensive.  you can get the whole thing in black and white in one thick book. 

anyway, on to the beaches!     

this flower, called the frangipani in australia and plumeria everywhere else i've seen it, produces one of my favorite smells.   i have a little plant in my flat, but it hasnt produced flowers in two years :(   whenever i see fallen flowers in good condition, i pick one up and carry it around with me for a while.

the water is still crisp and cool this early in the season, but feels comfortable on the skin very quickly after diving in.  it always surprises me how strong the australian surf is. 

i love the turquoise color of the water, the various shapes of all the boulders, the smooth sand, and the fact that there are so many rocks leading right into the water.

this is a pool right at the edge of the ocean.   the water splashes pleasantly up against the rocks.  depending on the tide, the spray can be incredibly powerful, as you may remember from when i reported on the unfortunate incident at north curl curl beach early last year. 

this is the view from the hill.  australian beaches can be simply stunning.  hard to believe there are so many...    

walking along the coast reveals movement along the edges.  

it was a nice holiday.   i'll post photos of sydney's new years celebration soon.  in the meantime, it's back to work!