114 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE.—1912. 
(Commonwealth Director of Surveys), H. A. Hunt (Commonwealth 
Meteorologist), P. Baracchi (Government Astronomer, Victoria) to 
inquire’ and report upon the best site for an observatory within the 
Federal Territory at Yass-Canberra. The Board unanimously selected 
and recommended a site on the summit of a hill some 2,500 feet above 
sea level, which, in their opinion, was probably as suitable for the 
purpose as any place in Australia. 
‘The Commonwealth Government, having accepted the recommen- 
dations of this board, instructed Mr. Barracchi to establish a temporary 
observatory at the selected site, and, from an astronomical point of 
view, to test the locality in order to determine definitely whether it 
answered the requirements of modern scientific research, including 
astrophysics. The Department of Home Affairs has prepared plans 
for a dome to house a 9-inch refracting telescope, and the work is now 
actually proceeding. The telescope is the gift of James Oddie, Esq., 
of Ballarat, who offered it, together with other instruments and ap- 
pliances, on condition that it would be utilised as a part of the equip- 
ment of a solar observatory. . . . It 1s proposed to erect at the site this 
9-inch refractor, upon which a Dallmeyer photographic lens, 6-inch 
aperture and 42-inch focal length, is now being mounted, and for a year 
to make observations during one week in every six weeks, the observa- 
tions to be carried out alternatively by Mr. Barraechi and his chief 
assistant, Mr. J. M. Baldwin.’ 
Mr. Barracchi in a letter to the Rev. A. L. Cortie thus describes his 
observations :— 
‘ The little observatory at Yass Camberra consists of a 20-feet dome 
resting on walls of concrete, with four little wings, kitchen, two bed- 
rooms, and a photographic room. The instruments are the 9-inch re- 
fractor by Grubb (which was presented to the Commonwealth Govern- 
ment by Oddie of Ballarat), a chronograph and a clock. We have 
mounted on this telescope a 6-inch doublet (Dallmeyer), focus 38 inches, 
which gives us a first-rate field of 10 degrees in diameter, and I have got 
splendid photographs of rich star fields. We have also a good and con- 
venient transit hut and a 34-inch transit instrument mounted on a solid 
masonry pier; and that is all for the present. Baldwin and I go there 
once a month alternately, and stay there a week. We find the atmo- 
spheric conditions remarkably good. We have never got less than four 
fine days and nights out of seven. In clear weather the sky is deep 
blue even in the immediate vicinity of the sun, and the definition is good 
at as low an altitude as 10 degrees. The night skies are simply magni- 
ficently brilliant. After our Melbourne sky, the sight of the heavens at 
Mt. Strom is surprisingly beautiful. Mt. Strom is the official name of 
the hill upon which the observatory stands. It is 2,500 feet above sea 
level, and about 500 feet above the general level of the surrounding 
country. I intend to carry on observations of the sun and take star 
photographs as well as other star observations for testing atmospheric 
conditions and definition for a complete year, after which I will report 
to the Government as to the suitability of the locality for a great 
modern observatory, more particularly solar.’ 
