▁ 6 1 ▁in ▁Per th ▁on ▁" New ▁Problem s ▁of ▁Ast rom etry ". ▁Like ▁his ▁prede cess or , ▁he ▁died ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age , ▁ 4 9 , ▁but ▁had ▁raised ▁the ▁standing ▁of ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁to ▁a ▁well ▁respect ed ▁scientific ▁institution ▁within ▁Australia ▁and ▁intern ation ally . ▁ ▁Dr ▁I wan ▁( I van ) ▁Nikol off ▁With ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Harris ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁Nikol off ▁was ▁to ▁act ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Government ▁Astronom er ▁of ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁until ▁ 3 0 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁when ▁he ▁officially ▁became ▁the ▁fifth ▁Government ▁Astronom er ▁of ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory . ▁ ▁After ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁he ▁comm enced ▁at ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁as ▁an ▁Astronom er ▁Gra de ▁II ▁on ▁ 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁worked ▁on ▁the ▁Observ atory ' s ▁ast ro graph ; ▁his ▁previous ▁experience ▁also ▁saw ▁him ▁set ▁up ▁and ▁cal ibr ate ▁the ▁recently ▁acquired ▁Ze iss ▁plate ▁meas uring ▁machine . ▁With ▁the ▁re location ▁of ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁from ▁Per th ▁to ▁B ick ley , ▁Nikol off ' s ▁surve ying ▁skills ▁were ▁extens ively ▁used ▁in ▁setting ▁up ▁the ▁new ▁Observ atory ▁during ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ ▁Nikol off ▁worked ▁with ▁the ▁German ▁Hamburg ▁Observ atory