The movie did much to firmly place on the map not only Parkes but also many of the buildings in Forbes.

However, with its vein of quirky, good-natured humour and the tendency of movies to generally embellish the stories they tell, many myths and misunderstandings have arisen around the film.

Indeed, every day the staff of the Parkes Radio Telescope Visitors Centre answer a range of questions including:

Did they really play cricket on the Dish?

Did a pie warmer back in the town really cause a short circuit that cut the power to the radio telescope at a crucial time in the Apollo 11 mission?

Did the staff at the radio telescope really “lose” Apollo 11?

Did the Australian Prime Minister visit the Parkes Radio Telescope on the day of the Apollo 11 Moon landing?

Did a ferocious gale suddenly appear out of nowhere just as the Dish was getting ready to receive Apollo 11’s television signals?

Which Australian radio dish really received the first lunar television pictures from Apollo 11, Parkes or Honeysuckle Creek near Canberra?

For that matter, is it true that there is the potential for a sequel movie telling of the role of the radio telescope in aiding the rescue of the stricken Apollo 13 mission after it exploded on its way to the Moon in 1970?

These are some of the questions that Operations Scientist at the Parkes Radio Telescope, John Sarkissian will answer this evening from 7.30pm at the next meeting of the Central West Astronomical Society (CWAS).

John is well qualified to answer these questions as he was one of the technical advisors on the movie The Dish.

(His name appears in the closing credits of the movie.)

If you have ever wondered about just how accurate the movie is and if you are interested in some of the back story of the making of the film, this evening’s presentation promises to be both entertaining and informative.

The CWAS meets on the first Friday evening of each month (except January).

The meeting will commence at 7.30pm at the Visitors Centre of the Parkes Radio Telescope.