P006837 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Corporate Body created 2021-12-02 human Helen Cohn updated 2025-11-06 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P006837b.htm corporateBody Rossbank Observatory AACR2 Royal Observatory, Rossbank, Hobart Rossbank Magnetic Observatory 1840 1854 Start Place Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia Magnetic observation Observatory The Rossbank Observatory was established in Hobart Town in 1840 by the Lieutenant-Governor, John Franklin, and the commander of the British Antarctic Expedition, James Clark Ross. It was one of a series of such observatories set up in British colonies for the purpose of measuring the Earth's magnetic field. The study of terrestrial magnetism in the southern hemisphere and Antarctica was the principal part of the scientific program for the Expedition. Funded by the Royal Navy, the Observatory was largely staffed by naval officers, including Joseph Kay, who left the Expedition to become the Observatory's Director. Local citizens who participated in the observations included Francis Abbott. Kay was recalled when in 1853 the Navy ceased to fund the Observatory, which closed the following year. A number of reports on observations made at Rossbank were published by Kay and Abbott. 1840 1840 Event - Founded by John Franklin and James Ross Clark 1853 1853 Event - Observatory closed Simpkinson de Wesselow, Francis Guillemard (1819 - 1906)

Observer 1844 - 1849

 Abbott, Francis (1799 - 1883)

Participated in observations

 Kay, Joseph Henry (1815 - 1875)

Director 1840 - 1853

 Smith, Alexander (1812 - 1872)

Naval officer and observer 1844 - 1852

 Franklin, John (1786 - 1847)

Co-founder 1840

 Ross, James Clark (1800 - 1862)

Co-founder 1840

 'Rossbank Observatory', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Rossbank Observatory Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book: Results of meteorological observations for twenty years for Hobart Town, made at the Royal Observatory, Ross Bank, from January 1841, to December 1854, and at the Private Observatory, from January 1855 to December 1860, inclusive Abbott, Francis Results of meteorological observations for twenty years for Hobart Town, made at the Royal Observatory, Ross Bank, from January 1841, to December 1854, and at the Private Observatory, from January 1855 to December 1860, inclusive Hobart Town Government Printer 1861 Journal Article: The Magnetic Survey of Tasmania Hogg, E. G. The Magnetic Survey of Tasmania 1900 Papers and proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1900/1901 81-88 Conference Paper: Return to Rossbank: Magnetism and Meteorology at Hobart in Theory and Practice, 1840-54 Savours, Ann and McConnell, Anita Return to Rossbank: Magnetism and Meteorology at Hobart in Theory and Practice, 1840-54 Durham Department of Geography, University of Durham in collaboration with Royal Meteorological Society 1997 Colonial Observatories and Observations: Meteorology and Geophysics: Proceedings of a Conference held at St. Mary's College, University of Durham, 8-10 April, 1994 Kenworthy, Joan M. and Walker, J. Malcolm 49-58 Journal Article: Observations made for determining the geographical position of the magnetic Observatory at Hobart Town, Van Diemens Land Kay, Commander [J. H.] Observations made for determining the geographical position of the magnetic Observatory at Hobart Town, Van Diemens Land 1852/4 Report, papers and proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemens Land 1852/4 264-87 Journal Article: Meteorological tables, Royal Observatory, Hobart Town Kay, Commander [J. H.] Meteorological tables, Royal Observatory, Hobart Town 1852/4 Report, papers and proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemens Land 1852/4 292-307 Journal Article: Description of the instruments employed at the Magnetic Observatory, Tasmania Kay, J. H. Description of the instruments employed at the Magnetic Observatory, Tasmania 1842 Tasmanian journal of natural science 1 207-24 Journal Article: The History of the Rossbank Observatory, Tasmania Savours, Ann and McConnell, Anita The History of the Rossbank Observatory, Tasmania 1982 Annals of Science 39 527-564 Book: The magnetism of Antarctica: the Ross Expedition 1839 - 1843 Knight, John The magnetism of Antarctica: the Ross Expedition 1839 - 1843 Dunbeath, U.K. Whittles Publishing 2023 Book: Franklin: tragic hero of polar navigation Lambert, Andrew Franklin: tragic hero of polar navigation London Faber and Faber 2009