By the end of the nineteenth century the Sydney Observatory had embarked on several major photographic projects. By this period the advances of astronomy by the aid of photography were numerous: the moon was first photographed in 1840; in 1850 a star; in 1854 a solar eclipse; in 1872 the spectrum of a star, in 1880 a nebula; in 1881 a comet; in 1897 the spectrum of a meteor; and in 1898 a stellar occultation of the moon.

Russell understood the significant role photography was beginning to play in astronomy and one of his first photographic projects was to organise the New South Wales contingent of observers for the 1874 Transit of Venus. Photography was also integral to the second major international project Russell was involved in. This was the mapping of the stars in the southern section of the heavens using photography. Planning for this began in 1887 and started in 1890 after which it continued to play a major role in the activities at Sydney Observatory up until the 1960s.

Starting in the 1890s Russell also began taking detailed photographs of the moon and meteorological events which occurred in Sydney. From around the same period photography began to be used by Russell to document the building, and its instruments.

All of these activities suggest Russell placed a high degree of importance on the use of photography at the observatory. The resulting images remain significant documents of the scientific uses of photography by some of Australia's early scientists. Many are rare records of the instruments used at the observatory and the layout and fabric of the building itself. Others are also significant because they were taken by some of the leading photographers of the day.

This photograph, numbered '134', of cumulus cloud formations is one of a series illustrating cloud formations which Russell took from the Sydney Observatory. This photograph remains a significant illustration of the importance of Russell's meteorological work in the 1890s.

Geoff Barker, Assistant Curator, Total Asset Management Project, January 2008

References
Bhathal, R., Australian Astronomer; John Tebbutt, Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst, NSW, 1993
Haynes, Raymond, Haynes, Roslynn, Malin, David, McGee, Richard, Explorers of the Southern Sky, Cambridge University Press, 1996
Nangle, J., 'The Sydney Observatory; its history and work, Sydney Technical College, 1930
Todd, David, P., Stars and Telescopes, Sampson Low, Marston, and Co., 1900

The photograph was taken from Sydney Observatory between 1890 and 1900, possibly by HC Russell (1836-1907), Government Astronomer at Sydney Observatory from 1870-1904.

Photographic print, mounted on card, cumulus cloud formations over Sydney Observatory, paper / albumen emulsion, photographer James Short and Henry Chamberlain Russell, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1880-1900

Albumen print, mounted on board, featuring an image of clouds taken from Sydney Observatory to the west. The foreground includes Balmain peninsula with Darling Harbour and Pyrmont to the left.

Photographed: Russell, Henry Chamberlain; Sydney Observatory; 1890 - 1900

The number '134' is marked on the print.

95/239/17

1890 - 1900

175 mm

226 mm