A new optical astronomy observatory has been built for the UTAS School of Mathematics and Physics. The Greenhill Observatory, named after Dr John Greenhill, is located on Bisdee Tier, east of the Midland Highway at Spring Hill in Tasmania. The observatory was officially opened on Saturday 23 February 2013.
The peak at Bisdee Tier was selected by a team under the direction of Dr John Greenhill as one of the best sites in the state in relation to average cloud cover, quality of astronomical seeing, light pollution and accessibility.
The observatory building has a rotatable dome housing the new telescope and associated spectrograph, computer and control rooms. A second building serves as quarters for observers and provide facilities for students, researchers and visitors.
The new observatory replaces the Mount Canopus facility and has the potential to be a flagship facility capturing the imagination and support of a wide segment of society. Engagement with the community is at the heart of this effort. The new facility represents growth for UTAS astronomy programs and for the community as a whole.