ANU poised to take lead role in Australian astronomy

Astronomy is an area of science in which ANU and Australia, more broadly, excels and much of our success can be attributed to the Anglo-Australian Telescope, which has been operating for more than 40 years. ANU is poised to take a lead role in Australian astronomy that will support the nation's scientists to discover more of the Universe's secrets. From 1 July this year, ANU will head a consortium of 13 universities to operate the 3.9-metre Anglo-Australian Telescope, Australia's largest optical telescope, as it prepares to be equipped with new instruments to keep it at the forefront of astronomy internationally. As part of the restructuring, Australian astronomers have also gained access to powerful optical telescopes in Chile through a 10-year strategic partnership with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) supported by Australian Government funding. The consortium will take over operation of the AAT from the Australian Astronomical Observatory in an effort to maintain a high level of capacity in optical astronomy for the nation. ANU astronomer Professor Matthew Colless said the new partnership with ESO and arrangements for the AAT would ensure that Australia's optical astronomical research continues to help advance humanity's understanding of the Universe. He said ANU was proud to operate the AAT on behalf of the nation.