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918777

Title
W. J. MacDonnell astronomical diary and record of observations at Balmain, Sydney, 1871 and Port Macquarie Observatory, 1883, 1885
Creator
W. J. (William John) MacDonnell, d.1910
Call number
B 201
Level of description
fonds
Date

1871, 1883, 1885
Type of material
Textual Records
Reference code
918777
Physical Description
0.01 metres of textual material (1 volume)
ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

William John MacDonnell was viewed by many as the father of astronomical science in Australia. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, built at least two private observatories and at his death had one of the finest libraries in the field in New South Wales. He was well connected to the scientific instrument fraternity because his father was one of the principals of Brush & Macdonnell who were makers and retailers of scientific instruments in Sydney.

MacDonnell as well as being an amateur astronomer was also a bank official and worked for the Bank of New South Wales. He purchased his telescope from Thomas Grubb's Astronomical Instrument Works in Dublin, Ireland, in about 1885. Macdonnell imported the telescope to Port Macquarie in New South Wales. There he installed it in a purpose-built observatory behind the Bank of New South Wales. Before the transits and observations in Port Macquarie he had already been involved with professional astronomers at Sydney Observatory for a transit of Venus in the 1870s. William Macdonnell had to sell his telescope in 1895 to raise some funds as a result of the 1890s depression but he continued to make observations with other scientific instruments.

Reference:
National Museum of Australia website. http://www.nma.gov.au/audio/transcripts/landmarks/NMA_Russell_20090610.html (accessed 25/2/2011)
General note

Digital order no:Album ID : 954558
Subject
Astronomy--Observations.
Astronomy--Australia.
Astronomers--Australia.
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