Govt rejects bid by Mt John

Mt John does not have the Government's backing to become the national observatory following Wellington's Carter Observatory losing the position.

The Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (Morst) has chosen not to select a national observatory.

Morst director vote operations Helen Eglinton said the position of national observatory would not be transferred.

The report of Australian astronomer Mike Bessell in 2005 showed that the functions of a national observatory for education and high-level research was spread across the country's observatories and astronomical organisations.

She said together they could meet the varied roles of research, education and promoting interest in astronomy.

With the repeal of the Carter Observatory as national observatory there was not funding available to establish the position elsewhere.

Ms Eglinton said there was "no specific pot of money for astronomy" and there was little to be gained in just granting a title to an observatory.

The main way for Mt John to get funding was for research through the Marsden fund.

A summary of Professor Bessell's report is on the Morst website. It suggests a modest National Observatory, with adequate guaranteed funding, staffed by a few dedicated astronomers could provide the framework for a strong support network for all New Zealand astronomy.

"The University of Canterbury's Mt John Observatory is widely accepted as providing most of the roles of a National Observatory and is certainly accepted as the major NZ player on the national and international astronomical scene. In this review various options and budgets are canvassed concerning Mt John Observatory and the National Observatory."

Ms Eglinton said the ministry had chosen not to take up the recommendation and would not simply grant a title to an observatory.

The Mount John Observatory costs about $1m a year to operate and is funded by Canterbury University's physics and astronomy department budget.

The director professor John Hearnshaw was not surprised at the ministry's position. He said establishing the case for Mt John being the national observatory would be promoted and negotiated over time.

Creating a national observatory required an act of Parliament, it wasn't a discretionary decision made within the ministry.

He said the observatory was engaged in international research and making significant discoveries, but gaining on-going government funding would secure its role as the leading research observatory.

Tekapo astro-tourism company Earth and Sky director Graeme Murray had not given up hope that eventually Mt John would become the national observatory. He said around the country there was growing recognition of the work being carried out there.

- © Fairfax NZ News