The book
Golden Years of Radio Astronomy
by Orchiston, Roberston, and Sullivan
presents an overview of
the remarkable evolution of Australian radio astronomy from 1945 to 1960.
The book begins in the post-war period, as CSIRO's Radiophysics Laboratory
in Sydney switched from secret wartime research on radar to peacetime
applications of this new technology. This is followed by the detection of
radio waves from space and the ensuing transformation of this
fledgling science into the dominant research program at the
Radiophysics Lab. Drawing from this history, the book shows how by
1960 the Radiophysics Lab had become the largest and most successful
radio astronomy group in the world.
Nearly 300 high-quality images complement the text, drawn from a wide
range of sources including the extensive
CSIRO Radio Astronomy Image Archive.
The books covers the early radio astronomy sites at
Dapto, Dover Heights, Fleurs, Hornsby Valley and Potts Hill,
and researchers including John Bolton, Chris Christiansen,
Frank Kerr, Bernie Mills, Joe Pawsey and Paul Wild.
The book can be purchased in hard copy, and
is also available on-line as open access via the link above.
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