Astronomical discoveries made at Dover Heights, Mon 6 May, 6:30pm.

Presented by Professor Ron Ekers, AO FAA FRS

There were four discoveries of significance to astronomy made at Dover Heights using new techniques and technologies that were at the cutting edge of radio astronomy. These were the first fringes and hence aperture synthesis imaging radio emission from sunspots; First extra-galactic radio sources and the discovery of the Galactic Centre. Drawing from his recently co-authored book about Joe Pawsey, once of the leaders of the research at Dover Heights and his personal experiences, Ron has many interesting and surprising stories to share.

Bio

Professor Ron Ekers has had a stellar and highly influential career in radio astronomy. He was the President of the International Astronomical Union and has been involved in a wide range of innovative experiments involving radio observations of the sun, planets, stars, galaxies, and quasars. These included the first measurements of the gravitational deflection of radio waves, the discovery of the hot gas spiralling around the nucleus of our galaxy and the discovery of a halo of cosmic ray electrons surrounding a spiral galaxy. Before returning to Australia as the foundation director of the CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility, he was the director of the Very Large Array, operated by the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Photo: Ron Ekers at Dover heights, 2024, photo T. Stevenson.

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