What began as a nationwide contest to encourage an interest in astronomy has ended with a tour of one of the world’s largest telescopes in Hawaii, all without leaving Brisbane.
Students from Forest Lake College in Brisbane’s south, recently travelled to The University of Queensland for a video link up to the Gemini North Telescope’s remote control room, situated at sea level headquarters in Hawaii.
Professor Michael Drinkwater, from UQ’s School of Maths and Physics, said the video link allowed the students to join a Gemini Observatory astronomer live from the control room and experience real science in a genuine observatory environment.
“The video link started with a multi-media overview of the observatory, followed by some recent science highlights and ended with a live Q&A session with the astronomer Peter Michaud,” he said.
The video link was a prize for the first three place getters in the 2009 Gemini School Astronomy Contest, run by the Australian Gemini Office.
Students were asked to select an object in the Southern sky and write an explanation as to why it would be interesting to digitally photograph, with the winner having their chosen object photographed using the telescope.
Forest Lake College entry captain Stewart Wright said his team’s runners-up entry was for the super-massive star Eta Carinae.
“Eta Carinae is more than 8,000 light-years away. About 150 years ago, it suffered a giant outburst and became one of the brightest stars in the southern sky,” Mr Wright said.
Mr Wright said he was thrilled to be able to come to UQ and link up with one of the world’s leading Observatories.
“The video link up was excellent. Because before this I didn’t really know about the Gemini telescope and now I know plenty about it.”
Professor Michael Drinkwater and Forest Lake College student Stewart Wright.