An enjoyable morning photographing Sydney Observatory. Sydney Observatory was more than just a place to look at the stars — it once controlled time itself in colonial Sydney. From 1858, a large time ball mounted on its tower dropped precisely at 1:00 pm each day, allowing ships in the harbour to set their chronometers accurately. The observatory also participated in the global effort to photograph the entire night sky as part of the ambitious 19th-century “Carte du Ciel” project, producing thousands of glass photographic plates that are still scientifically valuable today. In 1874, astronomers there observed the rare Transit of Venus, an event used worldwide to calculate the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Its hilltop location was chosen not just for clear views of the heavens but because it had earlier housed a windmill and even a defensive fort — meaning the site has shifted roles from grain grinding to military lookout to cosmic measurement, all on the same patch of ground overlooking the harbour.
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