Skip to main content

Wayne Orchiston and the History of Radio Astronomy

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Essays on Astronomical History and Heritage

Part of the book series: Historical & Cultural Astronomy ((HCA))

Abstract

In this short paper, I describe the fundamental contribution of Wayne Orchiston to the history of radio astronomy. Wayne belongs to the second generation of radio astronomers and has met during his long career most of the first-generation pioneers. He realized the importance of gathering first-hand testimonies from these scientists when it was still time, and to go into the details of their life and works before they are forgotten. He has written himself many papers, especially on Australian radio astronomy, in the Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage he had founded in 1998, and benefitted from his contacts with colleagues of many countries, in particular in the IAU Historic Radio Astronomy working group, to convince them to write their recollections. This has resulted in an impressive corpus of historical documents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Carpenter, M. S. (1948–1950). Bibliography of radio astronomy, and supplements. School of Electrical Engineering, Cornell University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, M. S. (1950). Bibliography of extraterrestrial radio noise. School of Electrical Engineering, Cornell University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, M. S. (1962). Bibliography of natural radio emission from astronomical sources. School of Electrical Engineering, Cornell University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Débarbat, S., Lequeux, J., & Orchiston, W. (2007). Highlighting the history of French radio astronomy. 1: Nordmann's attempt to observe solar radio emission in 1901. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 10, 1–10.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Edge, D. O., & Mulkay, M. J. (1976). Astronomy transformed: The emergence of radio astronomy in Britain. Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Encrenaz, P., Gómez-González, J., Lequeux, J., & Orchiston, W. (2011). Highlighting the history of French radio astronomy. 7: The genesis of the Institute of Radio Astronomy at Millimeter Wavelengths (IRAM). Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 14, 83–92.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gurvits, L., Frey, S., & Rawlings, S. (2005). Radio astronomy from Karl Jansky to microjansky (European Astronomical Society publication series) (Vol. 15). Les Ulis, EDP Sciences, also published on-line by Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hey, J. S. (1973). The evolution of radio astronomy. Elek Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellermann, K., Orchiston, W., & Slee, B. (2005). Gordon James Stanley and the early development of radio astronomy in Australia and in the United States. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 22, 13–23.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lequeux, J. (2021). Reminiscences of a radio astronomer. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 24, 862–875.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lequeux, J., Steinberg, J.-L., & Orchiston, W. (2010). Highlighting the history of French radio astronomy. 5. The Nançay Large Radio Telescope. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 13, 29–42.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura, T., & Orchiston, W. (Eds.). (2017). The emergence of radio astronomy in Asia: Opening a new window on the universe. Springer International Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2015). Radio astronomy and the Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. JAHH, 18, 38.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W., & Slee, B. (2002). Ingenuity and initiative in Australian radio astronomy: The Dover Heights “hole-in-the-ground” antenna. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 5, 21–34.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W., & Steinberg, J.-L. (2007). Highlighting the history of French radio astronomy. 2. The solar eclipse observations of 1949–1954. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 10, 11–19.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W., Davies, R., Denisse, J.-F., Kellermann, K., Morimoto, M., Slysh, S., Swarup, G., & van Woerden, H. (2004). The IAU historic Radio Astronomy Working Group. 1: Progress report. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 7, 53–56.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W., Lequeux, J., Steinberg, J.-L., & Delannoy, J. (2007). Highlighting the history of French radio astronomy. 3. The Würzburg antennas at Marcoussis, Meudon and Nançay. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 10, 221–245.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W., Steinberg, J.-L., Kundu, M., Arsac, J., Blum, E.-J., & Boischot, A. (2009). Highlighting the history of French radio astronomy. 4. Early solar research at École normale supérieure, Marcoussis and Nançay. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 12, 175–188.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Pick, M., Steinberg, J.-L., Orchiston, W., & Boischot, A. (2011). Highlighting the history of French radio astronomy. 6: The multi-element grating arrays at Nançay. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 14, 57–77.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, W. T., III. (Ed.). (1984). The early years of radio astronomy. Reflections fifty years after Jansky’s discovery. Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, W. T., III. (2009). Cosmic noise: A history of early radio astronomy. Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wild, P. (1987). The beginnings of radio astronomy in Australia. Proceedings of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 7, 95–102.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James Lequeux .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lequeux, J. (2023). Wayne Orchiston and the History of Radio Astronomy. In: Gullberg, S., Robertson, P. (eds) Essays on Astronomical History and Heritage. Historical & Cultural Astronomy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29493-8_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics