Early Australian observations of historical supernova remnants at radio wavelengths

Abstract

Stephenson and Green (2002) identify just five definite historical supernovae (AD 1006, 1054, 1181, 1572 and 1604), and the first radio observations of two of these (AD 1006 and 1054) were made by Australian scientists. In this paper we discuss the discovery of the Taurus-A radio source in 1947, and subsequent Australian and New Zealand observations that led to its association with the Crab Nebula and the AD 1054 supernova. In the process, we describe the formative state of radio astronomy at this time. We also discuss the Mills Cross radio telescope, the initial sky survey that led to the first radio detection of the AD 1006 supernova remnant, and subsequent observations made with the Parkes radio Telescope, Molonglo Cross, Fleurs Synthesis Telescope and the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope. Finally, we briefly review observations of the AD 1604 supernova remnant with the Parkes Radio Telescope and Culgoora Circular Array, along with Parkes and Molonglo observations of G315.4-2.3, the supernova remnant thought most likely to be associated with the supernova of AD 185.