
Before rockets and satellites, we explored space with our eyes, so we’re bringing you some silent night-sky views from 1934, courtesy of the Riverview Observatory in Sydney’s St Ignatius College. Their impressive telescope was used to photograph celestial objects millions of miles away.
This footage was filmed for a Cinesound newsreel in 1934. The intention to entertain and amaze was evident, and we suspect a bit of artistic license may have been used with the telescope images – particularly the comet blazing across the aperture.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.