Founding of WSAAG

WSAAG was formed in 1992 as a result of the efforts of Graeme White, John Jarman, and Peter Markham. Below is a note about the formation of WSAAG from Graeme and John.

Graeme White joined the physics department of the University of Western Sydney (UWS - now Western Sydney University) in February 1990. Graeme was possibly the first research level academic appointed and it was his ambition to create an astronomy/astrophysics department, and an astronomy outreach centre.

Graeme came from a Research Scientist position at the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF). He was an amateur astronomer and he remains one to this day.

In the first 2 years at UWS Graeme ran a series of lectures through Continuing Education West (which ran adult-level education programs in many subjects). His astronomy program was a typical shape/colour/size program modelled on a program that he ran in previous years through Sydney’s Worker’s Education Association (WEA). The WEA was an outreach program of Sydney University.

During the second year of the program John Jarman turned up as one of the students. John was an enthusiast for astronomy with a 6-inch Newtonian telescope. John and Graeme became friends and they spent many after-class hours (usually to 9 or 10 in the evening) in the university car park discussing astronomical matters. In one of those discussions, it was decided that it would be good to create an amateur astronomy club in Western Sydney, as that was probably long overdue, as the other clubs were all centre of Sydney focused. WSAAG was conceived in the university carpark.

Graeme, as a professional astronomer, did not want to be involved with the day-to-day running of the group, as had been the case with other amateur astronomy groups. Graeme could see potential good for his observatory project, but time and other requirements had to take priority.

Getting the Penrith Observatory was Graeme’s top priority.

John and another CEW class mate, Peter Markham, were designated to organise outside of the university while Graeme did whatever he could within the university. Peter helped with the creation of WSAAG but, very soon after, and sadly, he had a heart attack and passed away.

Carpark meetings turned into after-hours meetings in Graeme’s office. Advertising was organised; a free ad was placed in the Penrith paper and fliers pasted up around the university. John contacted members of the Continuing Education West classes. John was a postman and he knew that there were people in western Sydney who subscribed to Sky and Telescope magazine. In addition, there was a sprinkling of small domes in various backyards.

We booked a lecture theatre at UWS Penrith (VG05) and a foundation meeting was held 19 November 1991.

Initially the group had been envisaged as a ‘friends of the observatory’ meeting but as 25 people attended it was realised that the group would have a life of its own.

John was the chair and he was endorsed as the first president of the club, and a committee was formed. Graeme purposefully did not attend to allow the fledgling group to decide its own agenda. The name WSAAG was John’s invention.

The meetings were to be one per month. A newsletter was prepared with help from Ragbir Bhathal.

At the first general meeting, 19 February, 1992, we were honoured to have the Reverend Robert (Bob) Evans as the invited inaugural speaker with his title “Supernova Hunting”.

The club, once born, and breathing, survived and grew. With the help of John and many others Graeme got his observatory and it became the home of WSAAG for many years. Graeme left the university, because of ill health, in 2000.

John remained the president for 5 years until 1996 and Peter Nakitch took over and made his contribution to the group.

John and Graeme both moved on to different lives. Both were recognised with awards of Honorary Life Membership at the 20th WSAAG dinner in 2011. Graeme became the Director of the Centre for Astronomy at James Cook University in Townsville, and then went to ‘retirement’ in Wagga Wagga. John moved to Mudgeeraba in Queensland. Graeme now has an Adjunct Professorship at Southern Queensland University and John is still keen on astronomy and has upgraded his telescope to a 20-inch Obsession. Graeme, John and Pete are still the best of friends after some 30-plus years.

LONG LIVE WSAAG

Dr Graeme L. White - 2025