Historical Glass Photographic Survey Plates For Sale
SASI has a number of astronomical photographic plates produced as part of the ESO/SERC Southern Sky Survey conducted by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the UK’s Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) in the period between 1973 and 1988.
The plates were produced using either: The 1.2 metre UK Schmidt Telescope (left) at Siding Spring Mountain, NSW or The 1 metre ESO Schmidt Telescope (right) at La Silla, Chile.
$20 Sponsorship Package
Individual plates are available for purchase as part of a sponsorship package of Sutherland Astronomical Society.
Other organisations have a "name a star" programme, but our sponsorship package allows you to own a professionally-produced photograph of a part of the southern sky. The photographs were taken as a part of a valuable scientific survey program, so you can own a part of astronomy history.
Each glass plate measures approximately 300mm x 300mm, and represents an area of the southern hemisphere sky approximately 5 degrees by 5 degrees square and features a prominent star or other astronomical object. A sample plate is shown in the photograph below.
Included in the package is a numbered certificate of authenticity which includes the details about your plate, a map showing the sky position, and information about the featured object. To see what your certificate would look like, download a sample.
Your purchase will help fund the education and outreach programs of the Sutherland Astronomical Society Inc. (SASI).
To recognize your support, you will be included in the list of supporters maintained on our web site on Our Sponsors page.
Plate-Only Purchase
If you do not wish to receive a certificate of authenticity, plates can be sold separately wthout information about objects shown on the plate. The co-ordinates of the centre of the plate will be supplied in order for you to conduct your own resarch.
The plate-only price is $10.
For more information, or to purchase a plate, please send an email to our secretary by filling in the Contact Form in the Enquires section on the Contact Us page.
Plates can be picked up from our observatory, or mailed at cost.
Sample Plate
Plate Detail
