Exploring the Universe at Siding Spring Observatory

Farrer’s Year 12 Physics students recently embarked on an unforgettable two-day excursion to Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran - home to the Anglo-Australian Telescope, the largest telescope in Australia.

Students attended expert-led seminars on spectroscopy, stellar formation, thermonuclear synthesis and star classification, gaining firsthand insight into the mysteries of the universe. They also built their own spectrographs to identify the elemental composition of stars and nebulae and analysed real astronomical data to calculate Hubble’s constant; the measure of our expanding universe. 

An inspiring experience that not only deepened their understanding of Physics, but also opened their eyes to exciting future career pathways in science.