How John Tebbutt, an amateur stargazer from Windsor, became the centre of the world’s astronomy universe

A SMUDGE of light in the sky over Windsor catapulted farmer’s son John Tebbutt (left) to global scientific fame

John Tebbutt's Observatory and Equatorial Chamber at Windsor in 1906.

WHEN a young amateur astronomer turned his small marine telescope to the skies over Windsor on May 13, 1861, he made an interesting discovery. Seeing a smudge of light where no nebula existed according to charts, he continued observing the object over several nights.

What John Tebbutt discovered would become known as the Great Comet of 1861. When Tebbutt made his discovery known, the world took notice, putting Tebbutt and Australian astronomy on the world scientific map.

Tebbutt was born in Windsor in 1834, the only son of a storekeeper who later turned to farming. John was sent to the local church school where he came under the influence of Edward Quaife, who inspired Tebbutt’s love of science, in particular astronomy.

Under the tutelage of the scholarly reverend Henry Tarlton Stiles, Tebbutt finished his education and at the age of 15 went to work on his father’s farm. In his spare time he worked on improving methods of farming and learning German and French. But he was also still fascinated by the astronomy he had learned under his teachers and at 19 bought himself a marine sextant to make observations of the stars.

Australian astronomer John Tebbutt who won international acclaim for his accurate predications in 1861.

In his memoirs he wrote: “It dawned on me that the universe was really a mechanism of the highest order, and being, as I have already said, mechanically inclined, I began to turn my attention to celestial mechanism.”

He accumulated other instruments, including a small marine telescope normally used by the crew of sailing ships. His collection of equipment became so impressive that in 1860 he was offered a position by the NSW government astronomer, the reverend William Scott, at the Sydney Observatory. He turned it down, preferring his own path.

Tebbutt had great patience and tenacity, meticulously observing the sky and recording his observations with a desire to expand his knowledge of astronomy. The skies over Windsor were free of smoke and light haze. making it easier to observe than in Sydney, and it was this clarity that gave him the advantage on that night, 155 years ago.

Pioneer Sydney astronomer John Tebbutt with his telescope in the late 1800s.

Seeing an object that didn’t tally with his charts he kept a keen watch on it over the next few nights and found that it was moving. By May 21 he was certain he had discovered a comet and he sent a letter to Scott and The Sydney Morning Herald announcing his discovery, it ran in the paper on May 25, coincidentally Tebbutt’s 27th birthday.

In the era before a telegraph cable connected Australia to England communications were still slow, carried mostly by ship. So it came as a surprise to the British when the comet first became visible to them on May 29. However Tebbutt was later rightfully credited with the discovery and it helped make his name around the world.

Part of the fame was due to the spectacular nature of the comet, which was at times during the night bright enough at night to cast a shadow and could be easily seen without equipment. The Earth also passed through the tail of the comet, dimming the sun with its dust and gas during the day and creating amazing patterns at night. The romantic story of the gentleman farmer and amateur astronomer who discovered a comet is said to have inspired Thomas Hardy’s poem The Comet at Yell’ham and his novel Two On A Tower.

Tebbutt’s Observatory in Windsor, as it stands today.

Encouraged by the praise for his discovery he bought a refracting telescope in November 1861. When Scott resigned as government astronomer in 1862 Tebbutt was offered his job, but he refused. That same year he became a member of the Philosophical Society of NSW (soon to become the Royal Society of NSW) and he began building his own observatory that, for a time, was one of the most accurate observation stations in the world.

Acquiring an 11.4cm equatorial refractor telescope in 1872 he took part in the worldwide observations of the Transit of Venus in 1874. In 1873 he became a fellow of the prestigious Royal Astronomical Society of London.

To prove he was no flash in the pan, in 1881 he discovered another great comet, designated C/1881 K1. It was also known as Tebbut’s Comet. When a branch of the British Astronomical Association was established in Sydney in 1895, Tebbutt was elected its first president. His observatory became a place of pilgrimage for scientists and luminaries from around the world. He died at his home in Windsor in November 1916. From 1984 to 1996 his portrait graced the $100 note.

Originally published as How John Tebbutt, an amateur stargazer from Windsor, became the centre of the world’s astronomy universe