Mount Stromlo Observatory
Destroyed by Bushfire
As part of the terrible destruction caused by the recent Canberra bushfires, the Mount Stromlo Observatory was largely destroyed on Saturday 18 January 2003.
The Australian National University reports that four telescopes, an equipment workshop, eight houses and an administration building were lost. They estimate that the losses will cost more than $20 million to replace.
Fortunately, other buildings and files were spared from destruction, and significantly, none of the Stromlo scientists or other workers was harmed, although some Canberrans were killed by bushfires and over 500 homes were lost.
For more info, see:
http://www.anu.edu.au/fires/media.php
or http://www.anu.edu.au/fires/media220103.php
Lambda Literary Awards
The 15th Annual Lambda Literary Awards will be presented at a gala banquet in Los Angeles, May 29, 2003.
The annual “Lammy” has reportedly become the standard of excellence in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered publishing. Acknowledgements are made in twenty categories.
These categories include gay men's and lesbian fiction, poetry and mystery, science fiction/fantasy/horror, erotica, biography, children's & young adult, humour and romance.
The Awards are for LGBT books in English that are distributed and available in the United States.
For more info: http://www.lambdalit.org/lammy.html
More Stargate SG-1
SciFi.com reports that television series Stargate SG-1 has commenced production of its seventh season.
It also reports that actor Michael Shanks will return as civilian archaeologist Daniel Jackson.
For more info: http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-sfc.html?2003-02/24/14.00.sfc
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Mars Lectures in Melbourne
The Monash Science Centre will be hosting two guests lectures on the
Mars Rovers and Extrasolar Planets in March and April.
On 6th March, Marion Anderson will speak about two new Rovers being sent to Mars by NASA in 2003 - their mission: to find out whether water once flowed on the surface of the Red Planet. As the only Australian on the MER (Mars Exploration Rover) landing site selection group, Marion Anderson will talk about how the landing sites were chosen, where the landers are going, and what they will do when they get there.
On 10 April, Rosemary Harding will speak on "Extrasolar Planets - Discovering other Worlds". Before 1995 we knew of only nine planets; we have now discovered more than 100 planets orbiting ”nearby” stars. Why did it take us so long to discover the first planet outside our Solar System, and what can these new planets teach us about our place in the Universe?
Both talks start at 7pm in Building 74, Monash University, Clayton Campus and cost $8.00 admission.
Please call (03) 9905 1370 or email helen.rayner@sci.monash.edu.au to register your attendance.
For more info: www.sci.monash.edu.au/msc
Swancon 2003
Easter 2003 is the time for Swancon 2003, which is jointly the 28th Western Australian Science Fiction Writers' Festival/Convention and the 42nd Australian National Science Fiction Convention.
For more info: http://www.swancon.com/
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