A view from the Slide Springs Observatory car park !
The combination of altitude, clear skies and a southerly wind meant the temperatures this morning came as a bit of a shock, to say the least ! According to the coolant temperature gauge in the Land Rover it was down to 4 degrees C this morning and the sun was having a hard time making any impression through the morning mist.
We didn’t hang about, trying to keep warm by moving around. Once we set off though we did make one stop that was even higher than our camping spot. Siding Spring Observatory is perched on one of the higher peaks in the Warrumbungle Range at around 900 metres above sea level. The views from this peak are spectacular and on a crisp clear day I imagine you could see the Vic High Country. Sadly this morning it was a bit hazy and there was a bit of cloud cover yet to be burnt off by the sun. I know I’ve said this before and I will doubtless say it again but pictures really don’t do justice to the awe inspiring view.
The Anglo Australian Telescope (AAT) inside it’s dome.
The main Anglo Australian Telescope and it’s covering dome are an impressive sight and visitors can climb the 4 stories to the floor of the main telescope. As the name suggests, the scope is a joint venture between the UK and Australia. The main mirror (3.9 metres in diameter) was created (poured) in the USA then polished and formed in Newcastle in the UK and then shipped to Australia. It’s the biggest ceramic glass mirror that’s ever been transported by sea.
This area seems a bit telescope mad ! As well as the collection of scopes at Siding Spring there are a handful of smaller, I think private, observatories scattered along the road down from the ranges. One even has a skeletal radio telescope. One property we passed had a collection of small observation domes in the front yard complete with rotating domes and apertures. I guess the conditions here with no light pollution and clear skies for much of the year make it a bit of a Mecca for hobbyists and professionals alike.
A view from the bottom of the AAT dome.
We refuelled at Coonabarabran before heading north again on the Newell Highway. Fortunately the drop in altitude and the sun burning off some of the mist and cloud meant it started to warm up a bit by then and we were back into just our T Shirts and Shorts.
I’d been “feeling a bit crook” all morning with stomach cramps and by dinner time I was in quite a lot of pain. Pam took over driving but we stopped at a rest area when, as Pam said, “I looked so pale she thought it couldn’t just be her driving”. We stopped there for an hour and I felt a bit better so we carried on northward to Narrabri. By then the pain had subsided and after setting up camp and resting for a few hours all seems back to normal. No idea if it was something I ate or an allergy or what but hopefully it’s all fine now.
On the plus side it’s a lot warmer this evening and hopefully it won’t get as cold overnight. Looking at the forecast and weather reports we’re heading back into the better weather with temperatures in the mid to high 20s. There are a few showers on the coast but hopefully they’ll have moved on by the time we get there !
Tomorrow we’ll head east into the Mount Kaputar National Park to see the sights there. We will probably then head to Bingara although how far we get will depend on how long we stay in Kaputar NP.