2015 Astrographic dome
is returned to Sydney
Observatory in a new building.
The Melbourne Astrographic
Telescope is installed at Sydney
Observatory. Winsome Bellamy
attends the opening at Sydney
Observatory.1969
APOLLO 11 MOON LANDING
1965
WOMEN ALLOWED TO ENTER
PUBLIC BARS
for 20 years and became dedicated to the project,
bringing in spiders from home so their web-silk could
be used for the cross hairs in the measuring machines
an other instruments. She enjoyed the company of
the different women who came and went every few
years, mainly leaving because they married. Only
single women could be employed in most areas of the
public service.
When Sydney Observatory set up its measuring
bureau, a new wing was added and the women had
their own space and library. Bellamy was featured
in photographs for the newspaper when a new
measuring machine was purchased; she was herself an
avid photographer of the social life at the observatory.
During lunchbreaks the women played badminton
or, when it rained, fixed a net onto a large table to
play table tennis. The young astrographic measurers
enjoyed their lunches overlooking Observatory Hill.
Every now and then they dressed up to attend one the
many weddings that would signal the end of working
life for one of their colleagues.Through the AC, colonial state government
astronomers were connected with new methods
of science via international co-operation and
collaboration. It was at the forefront of what we now
call “big data” – but it’s not a well-known project.
Sydney Observatory director Harley Wood wrote
about the AC in his 1964 doctoral thesis: “It must
be understood that this work is essentially that of
a team. The photographs on which the catalogue is
based were taken mainly before my arrival... The
measurement of the plates was performed mainly by
assistants without scientific training. Throughout the
years 19 assistants have been engaged with me in this
work, with not more than four being employed at any
one time.”
Wood acknowledged Bellamy’s work, and that
of her close co-worker, Margaret Colville, in the
publication of the catalogue of stars.
The women were essential to that team. With the
exception of Charlotte Peel and the acknowledgement
she received for comet observation, even when the
women discovered unusual phenomena such as
double stars, they were obscured from recognition in
scientific papers.
Dorothea Klumpke described the work of
producing astronomical catalogues as “astronomical
labour”. She acknowledged that it was tedious, but
“truly scientific” in its nature.
According to Klumpke, women have: “qualities
prerequisite for producing lasting results –
concentration and enthusiasm, powerful levers that
move worlds. Ours is a work of the night and day! ...
astronomical science now becomes universal! She
knows no boundaries, no rank, no sex, no age!”DR TONER STEVENSON is the manager of Sydney
University’s School of Philosophical and Historical
Inquiry. She was manager of Sydney Observatory
from 2003 to 2015.Winsome Bellamy – shown
below at the micrometer
in 1954 – spent 20 years
completing measurements
and calculations for the
Astographic Catalogue.
1974
EQUAL PAY FOR MEN AND
WOMEN ENSHRINED IN LAW
Issue 86 COSMOS – 43ASTROGRAPHIC CATALOGUE