BU looks to replace observatory dome

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This article was published 22/04/2025 (283 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon University has renamed its rooftop facility, long a beacon for stargazers in western Manitoba, as the Gulliver Astronomical Observatory, following a $50,000 donation from the family of its astronomy professor, Austin Gulliver.

The gift will go toward a much-needed upgrade — a modern, computer-controlled dome to match the observatory’s state-of-the-art telescope, the university said Monday in a press release.

At 16 inches in diameter, BU’s is the largest publicly accessible telescope in Manitoba and the biggest between Thunder Bay and Calgary. Installed in 2009 thanks to the Viola Lobodowsky endowment, it replaced an earlier telescope that had been craned onto the roof just after the McMaster building was constructed in 1971.

“Public access to a facility like this is incredibly valuable,” said BU dean of science Chris LeMoine.

“As we look ahead to future improvements, like a full renovation of the Brodie Science Building, projects like this demonstrate the importance of creating spaces where learning and inspiration meet.”

Although the telescope was replaced in 2009, the protective dome was not. Now, it’s seriously showing its age.

“The dome is no longer weatherproof,” Gulliver explained. “Snow and rain come in when there’s bad weather. The telescope has very complicated and expensive electronics, and right now it might be the only one in the world that has to be covered with a tarp just to keep it safe.”

Even with weatherproofing, other limitations hamper the university’s ability to take advantage of the computerized telescope. Though the telescope can be operated remotely, someone must be on the roof to manually open the dome and monitor the controls.

“It’s kind of ironic,” Gulliver said. “We have this amazing instrument that can be controlled from anywhere in the world, but you still have to stand there in the wind and cold to open the dome by hand.”

Replacing the dome with one that is automated, weather-sealed and Internet-connected would change that completely. Students, researchers and the public would be able to experience a live view from the telescope just about anywhere, including inside campus classrooms or during public events in the Louis Riel Room.

The cost of a new state-of-the-art dome is estimated at $150,000 — double the price of the telescope itself. With $50,000 already committed by the Gulliver family, BU is inviting additional donations to help close the gap and complete the upgrade.

“When I first arrived at Brandon University, I was pleasantly surprised by how well-established this observatory was,” Gulliver recalled. He credited physics professor Wes Wong, his wife Helen Wong and the Brandon University Women’s Auxiliary for conceiving of and funding the original observatory.

“It’s amazing to think that their vision has lasted more than 50 years. Now it’s our turn to invest in its future.”

» The Brandon Sun