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Dorrit Hoffleit

Department of Astronomy

Yale University

New Haven, CT 06520-8101

Received April 1999

Abstract

An astronomical event, the transit of Venus at Tahiti in 1769, led to the discovery of Eastern Australia by Captain James Cook and its colonization by the English in 1788. Beginning that very first year, an observatory was erected, and ever since, Australia has played significant roles throughout the history of astronomy. Now the modern optical observatories at Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring have become important and friendly centers for international cooperation in research. In modern radio astronomy, Australia has been an outstanding pioneer.

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