Issue 10 – March 2006 On the trail of

The frontispiece to Hevelius’ great work on comets, the Cometographia (published in Danzig in 1668) showing rival theories about the origin and motion of comets. On the left Aristotle demonstrates his theory that comets are terrestrial exhalations that have ascended to the upper atmosphere. On the right Kepler suggests that comets move in straight lines. Seated in the middle Hevelius expounds his own theory that comets are expelled from the turbulent atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn and move in curved paths. The history of the study of comets was discussed at the start of the recent RAS Discussion Meeting on Comets: From Antiquity to the Present Day. This meeting had been arranged to celebrate the tercentenary of the publication of Edmond Halley’s Synopsis of the of Comets in 1705. A report appears inside.

(Illustration courtesy of the Library of the Royal Observatory Edinburgh). Editorial Clive Davenhall

Issues of the Newsletter do not King George V, recently ascended articles for publication. usually have a theme. However, to the throne following the death of Contributions are always welcome more by chance than design, two of Edward VII. The Jamaican dockers and details of how to submit them the articles in this issue are about were convinced that the change was are included on the back page, and comets. Comets have long been a portent that the new King’s reign are also on the Society’s Web site. considered harbingers of doom, would be marked by war. Since We look forward to hearing from though in Classical Antiquity they George V ruled from 1910 to 1936 you. were also thought to mark the soul this prediction, however accidental, of a departed prince rising to proved only too accurate. Heaven (an idea consistent with notions of eschatology in later pagan In this issue Bruce Harper describes Antiquity). Ever the skilled the rather more rational welcome propagandist, Augustus Caesar that the 1910 apparition of interpreted the comet of 44 BC as Halley received from the inhabitants the ascendant soul of Julius Caesar, of Ipswich, Queensland and we also thus legitimising his own rule and carry a report on the historical deflecting concern that it augured ill. aspects of the recent RAS Ironically enough, Augustus’ Discussion Meeting about comets. eventual murder in AD 14 was heralded by a blood-red comet. Issue 2 of the Society’s journal, the Antiquarian Astronomer, was Such superstitions might seem far distributed in December and has from our own time. However, as been very well received. Also, some recently as 1910 comet Halley members have been kind enough to The obverse of a silver denarius issued by Augustus Caesar around 19-18 BC caused a similar scare. Dock compliment recent issues of the showing the comet of the ‘Divine Julius’ workers in Bermuda saw the Newsletter. The success and, indeed, (reproduced from The Star of Bethlehem comet’s tail briefly turn red during a continuance, of both publications by Michael R. Molnar, 1999, Rutgers 101-gun salute to honour the new depends on us continuing to receive Univ. Press) Society news Stuart Williams and Clive Davenhall

February Council meeting in this very productive meeting, which meeting should contact the London sat from 1pm – 5.30pm. Chairman, Gilbert Satterthwaite.

A meeting of the Council of the SHA Council meetings in Society events and SHA was held on 11 February 2006. 2006 meetings for 2006 Thanks to the kind permission of Mr David Elliott, Executive Secretary of Following the February Council As usual, the SHA has an excellent the Royal Astronomical Society, and meeting, future SHA Council programme of meetings and events the helpful assistance of RAS meetings will take place as follows: for the remainder of 2006, Librarian and SHA Councillor Peter 20 May AGM at IOA Cambridge; comprising the Spring Conference Hingley, the meeting took place in 29 July 1pm Yorkshire Museum and and AGM, Summer Picnic and the Herschel Room on the historic 25 November 1pm Sir Robert Ball Autumn Conference. The theme of premises of the Royal Astronomical Library, Birmingham. the Spring Conference is Women in Society in Burlington House, Astronomy and that of the Autumn Piccadilly, London. Apart from the AGM, space is very Conference Instruments and limited at these meetings, which are Imaging. Before the meeting, Council was not general Society meetings, so if able to view a number of fine any member wishes to present a The Summer Picnic will be held at original books and documents from matter to Council in person, they ‘Farthings,’ the home and the RAS Library, including works should apply in advance to the observatory of SHA Honorary Vice by Cassini and Huygens, and notes Secretary, Stuart Williams. Anyone President Sir Patrick Moore. The made by William Herschel. Much of wishing to table an agenda item at Society is extremely grateful to Sir the following news originates from the AGM or any other Council Patrick for his continuing generous

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 2 March 2006 and practical support. Further details of all the events can be found in Forthcoming Meetings and Events on p22. A flyer for the Spring Conference and AGM should be enclosed with this Newsletter.

Thanks for early renewals

SHA Treasurer Ken Goward announced at February’s Council meeting that subscriptions were being renewed at a much more satisfactory rate this year, and thanks are offered to those members who have done so, as well as encouragement to those who have not! It is essential that members renew as soon as possible each year Councillors inspect material from the RAS Library before the recent Council meeting. in order that the Society may From left to Right: Martin Lunn, Ken Goward, Roger Jones, Reg Withey, Gilbert balance its cash-flow. If you have Satterthwaite and Peter Hingley not paid your 2006 subscription yet, please remember your membership has been renamed the Survey of up to date, and although this can will lapse at the end of March. Astronomical History, following the sometimes be difficult, it is hoped to February Council meeting, where it do so in more timely fashion in Publications success was decided that a more concise future, as and when new information appellation would be beneficial. is generated. SHA Secretary Stuart Thanks to excellent editorial Another benefit of this shorter title Williams was also recently teamwork combined with the is that it opens the Survey to approached to provide a profile of assistance of our printers, Parchment overseas members. A corner of the the SHA for the popular magazine of Oxford, and mailing organised by Sir Robert Ball Library at the BBC Sky at Night, and it is hoped Peter Hingley, the second issue of Birmingham & Midland Institute that this will highlight the Society in The Antiquarian Astronomer and has now been set up as the HQ of the March issue. ninth edition of the Newsletter were the Survey. A number of county sent out promptly before Christmas, binders have been filled with the SHA publicity leaflet which was a great present to all current data collection by SHA those members whose postmen were Councillor Roger Jones, organiser of A new publicity leaflet bearing an on the ball over the festive season! the Survey. The original Windows endorsement from Sir Patrick Moore Good progress is already being PC donated by the BMI will be together with a photograph of him made with issue three of The primarily dedicated to SHA Survey and details of various Society Antiquarian Astronomer edited by work. Members interested in joining activities has been designed by Reg Withey and Kevin Johnson. the Survey should contact Roger Stuart Williams and is aimed at Jones directly (contact details on the recruiting new members across the Our highly acclaimed publications back page). UK. It is hoped to make the new have become one of the most leaflet, which is being printed in important reasons for joining the SHA publicity colour, available for download from SHA, and Council is delighted that the SHA Web site shortly. production is now both timely and Since the last issue of the of a high standard. If you think that Newsletter, SHA Councillor Martin Temporary closure of RAS you are missing any copies of Lunn has been working busily as our apartments Society publications please contact new Publicity Officer. Several items the Secretary Stuart Williams have appeared in recent magazines SHA Councillor and RAS Librarian (contact details on the back page). as a result, but Martin is still keen to Peter Hingley has reported that the emphasise the need to continue to apartments of the RAS, including Survey renamed and publicise our existence and the Library, will be closed later this facilities enhanced activities, and all members are year for about twelve months for encouraged to tell their friends, complete refurbishment and The SHA’s Survey of the colleagues and societies about the rearrangement of the interior. See Astronomical Geography of the UK, SHA and its work. It is also essential p22 for further details. one of our most important projects, the our Web site be kept regularly

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 3 March 2006 London Planetarium to Commander Antony Compass Observatory (ACO) at close Fanning MBE, DSC, FRAS Slough and was soon promoted to Deputy Director. Commander With deep regret we report the death Fanning became an accomplished on 29 December 2005 of SHA practical astronomer and historian, founder member Commander and wrote several books, most Antony Fanning. Commander notably Steady as She Goes (1986), Fanning had a distinguished record a history of the ACO. In addition to as a navigator in the Royal Navy the SHA he was a member of a before, during and after World War number of societies and, in II. For example, in 1942 he took particular, was a stalwart of the part in the infamous ‘channel dash’ William Herschel Society. to intercept the battlecruisers The London Planetarium Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and on Despite his considerable achievements, Commander Fanning The Tussauds Group, who run the D-day he was ashore as the navigator of a landing craft. will be remembered as much for his London Planetarium, have kindness and generosity as his announced that from July it will no After leaving the Navy in 1958 he bravery and intelligence. We extend longer be used to show astronomical our deepest sympathy to his family material, but instead will feature a had a short spell as a lecturer at the London Planetarium (itself shortly and many friends. We hope to carry show about ‘celebrities.’ As if there an obituary in the June issue of the is not enough of such drivel already. to close; see above) but in 1960 he was recalled to the Admiralty Newsletter. The Planetarium is in Baker Street in central London, adjacent to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. It was built in the 1950s and seats approximately 330 in a dome about sixty-feet in diameter. It originally had a traditional opto-mechanical star projector. During the 1990s this system was replaced with one of the first digital planetarium systems, which was upgraded as recently as 2004.

When the Planetarium closes London will have no public planetarium. However, one is scheduled to open in 2007 as part of the extensive refurbishment of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.

Also, on 17 December 2005 a new Planetarium opened in Birmingham as part of the Thinktank Science Museum at Millennium Point. It can seat seventy and has a fully digital projector. See: http://www.thinktank.ac/abo An illustration from Christiaan Huygens’ Systema Saturnium (1659), one of the items on display utus/press_stories/pressstory before the February Council meeting. It shows a collection of early telescopic drawings of 2005_10_28_a.htm. Saturn. The drawings were originally by Galileo (I), Christoph Scheiner (II), Giovanni Riccioli (III, VII, IX), Hevelius (IV - VII), Eustachio Divini (X), Francesco Fontana (XI, XIII) and Pierre Gassendi (XII) (courtesy of the Royal Astronomical Society)

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 4 March 2006 African Astronomical History Symposium Ian Glass, Wayne Orchiston and Cliff Turk

On 8 and 9 November 2005 the first- ever African Astronomical History Symposium was held at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), Cape Town, and attracted an audience of about 62. Participants came from as far afield as Australia, the USA, Sweden and Northern Ireland. The meeting took place under the auspices of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA) and its Historical Section, and was timed to fit in with the opening of the 11m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) on 10 November.

The Symposium was launched on the evening of 7 November with a Group photograph showing most of those who attended the symposium reception in the 19th-century astrophysical laboratory of the Nabta Playa in southern Egypt. produce translations of the more McClean Telescope at SAAO. This Three local speakers then discussed important ones. laboratory now contains a museum the astronomical beliefs of a more of small instruments, and for the recent people, the /Xam bushmen of Local filmmaker Anne Rogers then occasion, a number of special items South Africa. Dr Tembo Matomela described the research that went into were also placed on display. After a (Iziko Planetarium, Cape Town) the making of her recent popular brief welcome by Dr Ian Glass outlined Xhosa beliefs and celestial documentary film, Cosmic Africa, (SAAO), Professor Brian Warner nomenclature, while Dr Lerothodi which featured Dr Medupe; later in (University of Cape Town) gave a Leeuw (University of Chicago) the day we enjoyed a screening of talk about the venue and some of the discussed the astronomical beliefs the film itself (which focused on contents of the display cases. prevalent in the Setswana linguistic Nabta Playa in Egypt, the Dogon area of South Africa and Botswana, people of Mali and the Ju/’hoan The first day was devoted to the with special reference to the culture of Northeast Namibia). traditional astronomical beliefs of and . the indigenous peoples of Africa. In The first part of the afternoon the first paper, Invited Speaker For us, one of the highlights of the featured interesting papers on the Professor McKim Malville from the Symposium was a paper on The cultural astronomy of Africa by two University of Colorado, USA, Timbuktu Science Project, presented Invited Speakers from the USA, Dr introduced the fascinating by Dr Thebe Medupe (SAAO) and Jarita Holbrook from the University assemblage of astronomical three colleagues from the University of Arizona and Professor Keith structures and monuments found at of Cape Town. In Timbuktu there Snedegar from Utah Valley State the 5000-11,000 year old site of are many manuscripts College. Snedegar painted a broad dating from the Middle picture as his interests uniquely Ages preserved in cover both traditional and scientific private and public astronomy in Africa. The second libraries. These part of the afternoon was intended to manuscripts were be a discussion of Social and written in Arabic and historical aspects of the proposed in the local language, National Research Foundation’s and they document a Astronomy Frontiers Programme, variety of subjects, and it featured four different including astronomy. speakers. The day came to a happy The Timbuktu Science end with a rather jolly dinner at the An aerial view of the South African Astronomical Observatory (formerly the Royal Observatory, Cape of Project aims to study nearby Wild Fig Restaurant. Good Hope) these manuscripts, and

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 5 March 2006 The second day dealt with modern astronomy in South Africa, and started with an illuminating and well-illustrated talk by Brian Warner on The origin and development of the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope. A complete change of era was then provided by Kobus Meiring, the Project Manager of SALT, who discussed the Southern African Large Telescope, tracing its genesis from the time that the Hobby-Eberly-type design was adopted to its present state. He summarised the international nature of the project, its management and organisation, the technical changes introduced and the performance specifications.

Ian Glass then reintroduced the Between 1833 and 1838 Sir John Herschel completed a systematic survey of the southern skies using his father’s twenty-foot reflector which was transported to the historical papers by discussing Cape for the purpose. The twenty-foot remains the only major ground-based Thomas Henderson’s first successful telescope to be used for systematic surveys of both hemispheres. The compendious parallax observation of a star, results were eventually published in 1847 as the Results of Astronomical namely Alpha Centauri, which he Observations Made During the Years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8 at the Cape of Good Hope. made from the Cape Observatory The illustration shows the telescope erected at the temporary observatory established at Feldhausen, a few miles outside Cape Town (although he was not the first to publish). Ian also told us about Innes’ and Voute’s observations of in South Africa. Several American After lunch, the fourth of the Proxima Centauri, and Alden’s work universities set up stations in South overseas Invited Speakers, Dr (at the Yale station in Johannesburg) Africa in the ‘twenties of the last Wayne Orchiston from James Cook which showed that it definitely was century. Most of the telescopes they University, Australia, gave a the nearest star to the Earth – after installed were large refractors. fascinating comparative account of the Sun. While the telescopes are now long amateur astronomical activities in gone, several of the buildings have Australia, New Zealand and South A.W. Herder then deputised for D.J. been recycled and are used for other Africa between 1850 and 1935. Vermeulen and provided us with a purposes. Rupert Hurly from the Astronomical beautifully-illustrated paper on the Society’s Cape Centre then spoke history of the Transvaal-Republic- The focus then shifted to the USA in about a number of interesting Union Observatory in Johannesburg the next paper, when Dr Hakeem instruments that have come and (see the photograph on p11, top Oluseyi (University of Alabama) gone at the Royal Observatory site left). The paper included fascinating spoke about the difficulties that during the twentieth century. glimpses into the history of the African-American astronomers at Union Observatory, headed for first encountered in obtaining The chronological focus shifted many years by R.T.A. Innes, an professional employment. He when Willie Koorts from the SAAO entertaining and in some senses discussed the careers and work of took the floor and discussed the dubious character about whom much several past and present 1882 transit of Venus observations remains to be told. Vermeulen has astronomers. conducted in South Africa, and his written a book about the extensive investigations at observing Observatory, and this will be Immediately before lunch, Brian sites in Wellington and at Touws published early in 2006. Chris de Warner took delegates on a guided River and Aberdeen Road. Professor Coning, Director of the ASSA’s tour of the Royal Observatory Derck Smits (University of South Historical Section, then introduced campus. Included in the itinerary Africa) then traced the history of the us to the Section’s Web site, were the main building of SAAO, University’s astronomy courses explaining its content and the the De la Rue Heliograph (the dome since 1923, from their original motivation behind setting it up. of which dates from 1849), and the concentration on positional 18-inch telescope (ca 1952) used by astronomy to the courses on Dr Patrick Seitzer from the the celebrated Alan Cousins for astrophysics offered today. University of Michigan , USA spoke fundamental photometry. about The large American refractors

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 6 March 2006 The final paper of the day was by Dr Glass (Royal Observatory, Cape of friendly conference. It was well- Mike Gaylard from the Good Hope: the vanished past), organised and well-run, there were Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Grahame Rodgers (San scientific no equipment glitches, and the Observatory, who described the astronomy) and Willie Koorts (The volunteers who provided the forty-year history of the facility nature of the Dawn’s Heart Star). morning and afternoon teas and from its origin as a NASA tracking lunches did a sterling job. We feel station to its present position as a The plan is for all of the papers from that its overall successful bodes well general radio astronomy observatory the Symposium to be published in for the next African Astronomical involved mainly in pulsar studies the journal African Skies during History Symposium. and molecular line work. 2006. This publication is available free of charge on the Web. Further information Apart from the oral presentations, poster papers were displayed by Ian All in all this was a very enjoyable, African Skies: http://da.saao.ac.za/~wgssa/archive. Gill’s History and Description of the Cape Observatory html

The Society’s Sir Robert Ball Reference Library has recently acquired a Astronomical Association of copy of Sir David Gill’s splendid History and Description of the Cape Southern Africa, Historical Section: Observatory (1913). Gill (1843-1914), originally a watchmaker from http://www.saao.ac.za/assa/html/39_ Aberdeen, was HM Astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope (1879-1907). historicalsection.html The copy has been acquired as a result of the dispersal of the library of the late Jon Darius and the Society is extremely grateful to his widow and the Timbuktu Science Project, see, for Science Museum for their generosity. Further details are given in the example: Library News on p20. http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/20 03/september/timbuktu.htm

Comets ancient and modern at the RAS Clive Davenhall

On Friday 9 December 2005 an the throngs of tourists and RAS Specialist Discussion Meeting Christmas shoppers in was held on the theme of Comets: Piccadilly. When I got to From Antiquity to the Present Day. Burlington House a fire or The meeting was arranged, at the burglar alarm was sounding suggestion of RAS Librarian and inside the Geological SHA member Peter Hingley, to Society’s premises, which mark the tercentenary of the did not auger well. publication of the Synopsis of the However, fortunately it was Astronomy of Comets by Edmond deactivated before the Halley (1656-1742). This book was meeting started. The one of the most influential in the meeting lasted all day and long history of the study of comets. was attended by about fifty In it Halley presented orbits for people. Most of the some twenty-four comets computed presentations were on using Newton’s then-new theory of contemporary studies of Universal Gravitation. He also comets. However, the first showed that the comet of 1682 two talks of the morning (which now bears his name) was the session were on historical same object as the comets of 1531 topics, and it these which and 1607, and he predicted its return will be briefly reported here. in 1758. The morning session was The meeting was held, as RAS chaired by Prof. Iwan The title page of Edmond Halley’s Synopsis of the meetings are at the present, in the Williams (Queen Mary Astronomy of Comets. English and Latin editions lecture theatre of the Geological College, University of were published in 1705 and in the same year Society in Burlington House, London). He began by Halley also reported his work on cometary orbits adjacent to the RAS’ own premises. reminding the meeting of the in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (courtesy of the Library of the Royal So it was that on the morning of 9 anniversary which had Observatory Edinburgh) December I made my way through prompted the meeting and

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 7 March 2006 mentioning that there was a small and Halley. The title was something provoked the Divine displeasure and display of historic material from the of a misnomer as the talk was a what retribution did the comet RAS’ archives (which unfortunately brisk trot through the history of portend? In 1577 Tycho Brahe I did not get to see) in the adjacent comets both before and after the established that comets were more library of the Geological Society. discoveries of the second half of the distant than the Moon. Newton and Included in this display was a copy seventeenth century. Dr Yeomans Halley showed that they moved in of Peter Apian’s Practica auff dz. started with a very brief overview. heliocentric orbits. In the nineteenth 1532. Jar, which is the first text to Ancient observations of comets century the association with meteor mention that the tails of comets were recorded for astrological streams was established. Finally, in always point away from the Sun. purposes. In the Medieval period 1950 Whipple proposed his ‘dirty comets were interpreted as signs of snowball’ model for the composition The first speaker was Dr Don Divine displeasure. The main of the nucleus, which subsequently Yeomans (NASA Jet Propulsion question asked when a comet proved substantially correct. Laboratory) who spoke on The appeared was ‘what does it mean:’ Views on Comets Before Newton what human transgression has Dr Yeomans then elaborated on this outline. The most extensive ancient cometary records are Chinese and mostly date from the period 1059 BC to AD 100. The Chinese recorded the shapes of comets as well as the date and place of their apparitions because the forms too had astrological significance. The Western tradition was informed by Aristotle, who thought that comets were an atmospheric phenomenon. In his view they travelled in straight lines (rectilinear motion) and were formed from terrestrial exhalations rising to the sublunar sphere.

In Classical Antiquity comets were also associated with astrology. For example, the comet of 4 BC was skilfully exploited by Augustus Caesar to mark the soul of the deified Julius Caesar ascending to Heaven. Always the skilled propagandist, Augustus had coins struck to commemorate the event. The comet actually appeared after Caesar’s death and Shakespeare exercised poetic licence when he turned it into an omen: ‘When beggars die, there are no comets seen; / The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.’ The belief that the souls of departed kings rose as comets became so strong that when Charlemagne died and no comet appeared scribes simply invented one.

In Medieval and Renaissance times comets were widely taken to portend disasters. After the invention of printing, broadsheets predicting dire Peter Apian (1495-1552) first noticed that the tails of comets point away from the consequences were routinely Sun. This diagram appeared in his Practica auff dz. 1532. Jar, published in Landshut published after the apparition of a in 1531 (courtesy of the Library of the Royal Observatory Edinburgh) comet. However, the influences

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 8 March 2006 were not always malign. For In 1950 Jan Oort (1900-1992) These colleagues included: example, wine produced in 1811 suggested what is now known as the Flamsteed (though they later was thought to be particularly ‘Oort Cloud’ of 10 12 comets orbiting famously fell out over the excellent because of the influence of at the edge of the . publication of Flamsteed’s the comet of that year (a These bodies are icy conglomerates observations), Newton, Hooke, circumstance which gives a whole (‘dirty snowballs’ in Whipple’s Cassini and Hevelius. All were older new meaning to the phrase ‘under memorable phrase) and material than Halley, some considerably so. the influence’). Kepler and Galileo evaporating from their surface as Nonetheless, all were happy to work thought that comets moved in they pass through the inner Solar with him, which indicates the straight lines. Hevelius had an System is the explanation of the esteem in which they held him. ingenious theory in which they were non-gravitational forces modifying disk-like objects ejected from the their orbits, rather in the manner The first reasonably accurate turbulent atmospheres of Jupiter and suggested by Bessel, though with observations of cometary positions Saturn. the additional complication that the had been due to Tycho. He thought comet is rotating. In 1986 that comets moved in circular orbits In his 1705 book Halley determined became the first spacecraft to return around the Sun (which itself orbited orbits for twenty-four cometary close-up images to a comet. It saw the Earth in his system). Kepler apparitions (though some turned out jets of bright material emerging showed that planetary orbits are to be multiple returns of the same from an otherwise dark nucleus. elliptical, but it was not obvious that object). He was well aware of the comets would move in the same effects of planetary perturbations on Finally, Dr Yeomans concluded by way. Rather, it was thought that cometary orbits. Consequently, the noting that a theme running through different sorts of bodies might move confidence with which he asserted the history of comets is that they according to their own rules. that the 1682 comet would return on have caused disproportionate public his predicted date decreased in concern during their harmless Robert Hooke constructed an successive editions of his book. apparitions (this theme is discussed artificial cometary nucleus However, the first realistic estimate further by Bruce Harper in his consisting of a ball of wax encrusted of the planetary perturbations on a article on p10). with iron filings, which he cometary orbit were made by the suspended in a tank of dilute French astronomer Alexis-Claude The second of the two historical sulphuric acid. He also observed the Clairaut (1713-1765) who attempted talks was by SHA member Prof. comet of 1677 and attempted to to predict the reappearance of David Hughes (University of measure the diameter of its nucleus, Halley’s comet before it was Sheffield). His topic complemented but actually only measured the size reacquired. A successful prediction the previous talk by more narrowly of the luminous inner coma. In 1681 was made after extensive focussing on: Edmond Halley: Why Dörffel explained the orbit of the calculations by Clairaut and his two He Became Interested in Comets. comet of 1680 as a narrow parabola assistants. Prof. Hughes began by describing with a small focal distance. In 1682 Halley as the UK’s second greatest Halley started work on the orbit of Johann Encke (1791-1865) scientist, and he was certainly a man this comet. He first tried a linear connected the previous apparitions of many and varied orbit, but this did not fit the of the comet that now bears his accomplishments. observations. He got several of his name. He noted that on successive associates to consider the problem. apparitions the comet arrived earlier Prof. Hughes listed a number of Flamsteed tried an elliptical orbit than had been predicted and reasons why Halley became which passed in front of the Sun (he hypothesised that this might be due interested in comets, including the thought the Sun repelled the comet to the retarding effect of a hitherto- following. Firstly, the form of by magnetism). Newton tried an undetected interplanetary medium. cometary orbits was a major elliptical orbit with the comet Friedrich Bessel (1784-1846) unsolved scientific problem of the passing around the Sun; his solution thought that sun-ward emanations time. Kepler’s laws had been was basically correct, though he from the cometary nucleus produce established for the planets and a assumed an eccentricity of one. This a radial thrust towards the Sun body of data was available, though it result was the first proper which modifies the orbit. Because was not obvious that the same laws computation of a planetary orbit. the effect is not symmetrical with would apply to comets. Halley was respect to perihelion the net effect is an excellent mathematician and In 1696 Halley established that the to make the comet arrive earlier. well-placed to tackle the problem. A comet of 1682, which now bears his Giovanni Schiaparelli (1835-1910) series of impressive comets name, had previously appeared in first noted the connection between appeared around his lifetime. 1607. He later realised that the comets and meteor streams. Finally, all Halley’s astronomical comet of 1531 was also an friends were interested in comets; apparition of the same object. In they were a ‘topic of the times.’ 1705 Halley published the Synopsis

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 9 March 2006 of the Astronomy of Comets. It The remainder of the meeting was The afternoon session was mostly contained orbits for some twenty- about contemporary studies of about the in situ exploration of four comets that had appeared comets, but no less interesting for comets by spacecraft. Mike A’Hearn between 1337 and 1698 (though the that. The morning session was spoke on the spectacular (in all comets of 1531, 1607 and 1682 were mostly about ground-based senses of the word) Deep Impact the same object). observations. Mark Bailey spoke on experiment, Simon Green on the the dynamical evolution of the orbit Stardust sample-return mission Prof. Hughes concluded by of Halley’s comet and Stephen (which was subsequently remarking that Halley thought that a Lowry on studies of the properties successfully recovered on 15 cometary impact had gouged out the of cometary nuclei. Alan January 2006) and Andrew Coates basin of the Caspian Sea, which had Fitzsimmons searched for comet reviewed cometary plasma tails. The subsequently filled with water. candidates amongst the Near-Earth final speaker was Gerhard Schwehm Thus, in addition to being a pioneer Object (NEO) population and, at the who looked forward to the of cometary studies, he was also a opposite extremity of the Solar mission, which is now en route to a catastrophist who prefigured modern System, Neil McBride considered rendezvous with comet Churyumov- concerns about cometary impacts. comets in the Kuiper Belt. Gerasimenko in 2014.

In conclusion the two historical talks made a most informative and enjoyable start to an interesting and productive meeting. It only remains to thank all the speakers for their contributions, the RAS for organising the meeting and the Geological Society for the use of their premises. Finally thanks are also due to Dr Yeomans and Prof. Hughes for comments on a draft version of this report.

Further reading

Noah Goldman maintains a useful Web page on the history of comets at URL: http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa Not as funny as it used to be? This cartoon first appeared in Punch in 1930 and was .gov/science/comets-cultures.html reprinted in the early 1970s. The original caption read: ‘entertainments at which we have never assisted. “Tailing the Comet” at a Royal Astronomical Society Dinner.’ Comet Halley 1910 – the view from Ipswich, Queensland Bruce Harper

All around the world, the 1910 neighbours. No end-of-the-world the Daylight Comet, discovered in appearance of Comet Halley was parties. the southern hemisphere in mid- impressive. Here in the small January and reportedly reaching an Australian city of Ipswich, Eventually, in 2004, with some time apparent magnitude greater than that Queensland, my grandparents, then on my hands, I decided to dig of Venus. Had it made the local in their early twenties, and several of through the microfilm archives of news back then? I found that it my great-grandparents, viewed the the local newspaper, The certainly had, the first report being spectacle. They passed on some Queensland Times, to learn more on January 19th, with three more interesting memories of it to their about what the local experience of reports during the following weeks. descendants. What always puzzled the comet’s passage had been. What me, however, was that there was sort of information had been Halley meanwhile, had been never any hint of the panic that was available to readers? Would the mentioned as early as August 4th, said to have gripped many at the newspaper coverage convey any 1909, in an article entitled, ‘Where time in various places (see the discernible public mood or feeling is Halley’s Comet?’ Drawing on review of Panic Attacks by Robert associated with the event? another article by a Professor J. Bartholomew and Hilary Evans on Moreover, it is not well-known Elgie, from a Yorkshire paper, the p18). No stories of crazed today that in 1910, Comet Halley report suggested that perhaps the was preceded and even upstaged by comet had broken up; it seems that it

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 10 March 2006 anything about it at the time.’

On the other hand, ‘Halley’s Comet: Do comets cause floods?’ (March 17th) reported that a weather forecast for Queensland from March 16th to 22nd was for heavy thunderstorms, and noted the coincidence of the approach of Halley’s comet. The article then proceeded to link comets with floods through history, in a way that most of us probably encountered in books during our schooldays. Another article, ‘Coincidences of the comet’ (May 14th) reminded readers of the old superstition that comets were thought to be the heralds of disasters and great events.

Comet Halley photographed by H.E. Wood on 6 May 1910 from the Transvaal On May 20th, The Queensland Observatory outside Johannesburg. The bright object at the top right of the photograph Times reported that ‘the earth meets is Venus. The grid superimposed on the photograph is a réseau. Such grids were the tail.’ This, it said, was of great exposed on early astronomical photographs as an aid to accurately measuring the interest to scientists, some of whom positions of objects in the image (RAS 297; courtesy of the Royal Astronomical were planning balloon ascents in Society) attempts to collect samples of the had not been sighted (telescopically, above the horizon, and a little north tail. In America, however, people presumably) at that time. The article of east. were arranging balls, receptions, and is interesting for its discussion of the fate of comets such as Biela’s, and And the impending doom? shows that the newspaper was The first few months of certainly not offering ‘lightweight 1910 had also brought fare’ to its readers. That, in general, forth articles such as these: was also the trend of most of the ‘Halley’s Comet: Expert many subsequent articles. opinion’ (January 10th), ‘About Comets’ (March Far from having broken up, Comet 10th), and ‘Collision with Halley was alive and well. On the comet’ (April 9th). February 2nd, the paper reported From the viewpoint of that it had been photographed from nearly a century later, they Greenwich. On April 9th, a short seem as if they were article told how my great- intended to dispel rumours grandfather, William Lye, had been that had probably been sent a postcard by his brother John, circulating. in England, that had a photograph of the comet taken from Oxford on For example, in ‘Collision January 29th. That unexpected with the comet,’ Sir Robert snippet certainly caught my Ball is quoted, from a attention! letter in The Times, as writing, ‘A rhinoceros in The comet drew closer. The first full flight would not fear naked-eye sighting here in Ipswich collision with a cobweb! was reported as having been made and the earth need not fear by a Mr G. Piggott, who saw it early collision with a comet.’ Sir The public response to the 1910 apparition of Comet Halley varied greatly from panic to wonder in the morning of April 11th. Similar Robert’s letter continued and enthusiasm. The latter response is captured in brief reports followed, giving people by pointing out that in this delightful cartoon by Axel Nygaard which a fair idea of where and when to 1861, the planet had appeared in the Danish weekly Klods-Hans and look. That seems to have been passed through the tail of a showed an anthropomorphised comet passing by the Earth (courtesy of the Mary Evans Picture around five in the morning, well comet [the Great Comet of Library and reproduced in Panic Attacks by Robert 1861], but ‘no one knew Bartholomew and Hilary Evans, reviewed on p18)

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 11 March 2006 breakfast parties on New York hotel who did harbour feelings of of those times in the everyday words rooftops, but in some southern apprehension simply kept it to of those times had an effect that I states, others were suffering from themselves and breathed a sigh of would never have anticipated. The ‘comet panic.’ The article reported relief when nothing happened. next step is to link the newspaper that some had ceased work so as to Perhaps detailed semi-technical articles with the available local attend prayer meetings, while others articles such as that by Walter F. eyewitness accounts, with the aim of were hiding in cellars. Furthermore, Gale, FRAS, on April 26th adding a new dimension of interest insurance agents were ‘reaping a (reprinted from The Sydney Morning to the historical records of what rich harvest.’ Herald), were able to assist undoubtedly was a tremendous schoolteachers, for instance, to event. My own rather clinical None of that seemed to affect – or present convincing accounts of what interest in the 1986 return of the infect – my hometown. Nowhere did to expect. comet probably had little of the raw I come across even a trace of a curiosity that my grandparents and suggestion that fear or panic had My research was personally great-grandparents must have felt in erupted in Ipswich. Perhaps anyone illuminating, for to read the science 1910. Progress Report on the Pendrell Hall Observatories Project John Armitage

This article is a progress report on the Pendrell Hall Observatories Project. Pendrell Hall is a Victorian Mansion, set in the South Staffordshire countryside, which has recently been the site of much activity related to the demonstration of British astronomical history.

Astronomical activities started at Pendrell Hall a few years ago when the Project Director, John Armitage, established a small modern observatory in the grounds, the style of which was modelled on the observatory that he had previously established in his own garden. This observatory was of modern manufacture, containing a twelve- inch Newtonian as the main instrument and with a range of Pendrell Hall in Codsall Wood, South Staffordshire, the home of the Pendrell Hall smaller ancillary and specialist Observatories Project telescopes. without too much difficulty, a without too much difficulty an Victorian Calver reflector in a instrument in a condition suitable for Shortly after this observatory had condition suitable for restoration restoration was acquired. been constructed it was decided that, was obtained. This instrument had in keeping with the Victorian nature once been owned by the Revd Both the instruments are being of Pendrell Hall, it would be T.E.R. Phillips (President of the restored in our telescope workshop appropriate to construct an at Pendrell Hall. observatory of ‘We are not just talking about the in Britain; At the time of authentic Victorian we are actually re-creating it.’ writing the design adjacent to The Pendrell Hall Observatories Group. restoration of both the modern one, instruments is at and to place an advanced stage, historic instruments of the correct RAS 1927-29). Once the main and they will shortly be operational vintage within this re-created instrument for the Victorian in the re-created Victorian Victorian structure. observatory had been secured, the observatory. It is hoped that the next requirement was for a transit observatory will be completed and The search was then on for suitable instrument to place in the fully operational by Easter 2006. We instruments. Fortunately, and observatory’s transit house. Again believe that the Calver reflector,

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 12 March 2006 now named the ‘T.E.R. Phillips accuracy, which we already posses, Telescope,’ will probably be the and which is expected to give finest example of a restored Calver excellent diffraction-limited reflector in England. We also expect performance. The instrument will be it to give good performance in use. constructed as a Nasmyth- The drive, which is a pendulum Cassegrain telescope, seeking to clock type, seems excellent and is incorporate the best traditional expected to perform well enough to features of this design, but with permit some astro-photography to be some interesting and novel carried out with the telescope. innovations. This instrument is also intended to be housed in a Parallel to the construction of the Victorian-style observatory. It is Pendrell Hall Victorian observatory, very appropriate that the instrument the Pendrell Hall Observatories should be a Nasmyth-Cassegrain Group is also constructing a similar because, as will be explained below, ‘Victorian observatory,’ complete there is an historic connection with a transit house, within the between Pendrell Hall and James Lord John Wrottesley, Second Baron Wrottesley (RAS President 1841-43; confines of the Black Country Nasmyth. This observatory will be courtesy of the Royal Astronomical Museum at Dudley in the West called the ‘James Nasmyth Society) Midlands. The principal instrument Observatory.’ in this observatory is also to be a grounds of Wrottesley Hall, which is Calver reflector, which is currently Phase Four: lies five or more years in the same part of South being restored alongside the T.E.R. in the future. It will involve the Staffordshire as Pendrell Hall. Lord Phillips telescope at Pendrell Hall. construction of a yet larger reflector Wrottesley’s site was at was at 52º The Calver reflector destined for the of vintage design, thirty-six-inch 37’ N, 2º 13’ W whilst our Black Country observatory is of the aperture and operating at f5.8, observatory site at Pendrell Hall is at same general construction as the though the ultimate configuration is 52º 38 N, 2º 13’ W, just five T.E.R. Phillips telescope, but has a still to be finalised. minutes drive away. Furthermore, much longer focal length (f11 as there is a contemporary connection opposed to f6.58). This long-focus Pendrell Hall’s Historic in that the Pendrell Hall Calver is expected to be particularly Astronomical Connections Observatories Group is now acting good for planetary observations. as effective custodian of the old Wrottesley observing site. For a Pendrell Hall has a number of number of reasons it is not practical We are currently in the process of connections with the history and to rebuild Lord Wrottesley’s acquiring a further transit instrument development of British astronomy, observatory, though we intend to of suitable Victorian vintage to place three or four of which are worthy of improve its condition. The site will in the Black Country transit house. note. The Black Country project is remain a ruin, but all its original constituent parts can be clearly running slightly behind the Pendrell Lord John Wrottesley, Second discerned. Hall project, but we expect both Baron Wrottesley observatories to be completed and Secondly, we can trace another fully operational by Easter 2006. Lord Wrottesley was actively connection between Lord Wrottesley Thus, the current phase of activity involved in the development of and Pendrell Hall in that at one stage will be concluded within 2006, but astronomy in Britain in the first half Lord Wrottesley was married to one this will not be the end of the of the nineteenth century, from of the Giffards of nearby Chillington Pendrell Hall Observatories Project, 1820, when he participated in the Hall, and Pendrell Hall was once as it marks only the end of phase founding of the Royal Astronomical part of the Chillington estate. two of a four phase project. The Society, up his death in 1867. He succeeding phases will be as was President of the RAS 1841-43, James Nasmyth follows. and was also President of the Royal Society 1854-57, (succeeding the Our connection to James Nasmyth, Phase Three: is still two or three Third Earl of Rosse) and President inventor of the stream hammer and years in the future, though designs of the British Association in 1860. A of the Nasmyth-Cassegrain optical and basic plans should be in place connection between Lord Wrottesley system, is via the Gaskell family by the end of the present year. This and our project at Pendrell Hall can who were at one time owners of phase will involve the construction be established in two ways. of a much larger instrument, of Pendrell Hall, the last Gaskells leaving in 1954. The Gaskells were twenty-four-inch aperture, using an Firstly, during the period when Lord friends of Nasmyth and acted as historic mirror of f6.8 focal ratio and Wrottesley was President of the reputed to be of 1/20 or 1/22 wave RAS he built an observatory in the

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 13 March 2006 financial backers for some of his complete we shall have one of the Hednesford Road, Cannock, enterprises. finest astronomical complexes in Staffordshire, WS11 6LB, telephone England: a site which will not only 01543 579805. Revd T.E.R. Phillips offer excellent opportunities for astronomical observation with high- Further reading Our connection here is simply that quality instruments, but also a site we possess the telescope that once with considerable historical A paper on the astronomical belonged to the Revd Phillips and connections which will illuminate activities of Lord John Wrottesley, the observatory where it will be aspects of the background and Second Baron Wrottesley, is in housed is of the general type that the history of astronomy in Britain. preparation and is scheduled to Revd Phillips would have had at his appear in the third volume of the home in Headley, Surrey. We are still looking for Antiquarian Astronomer, due to be miscellaneous ancillary instruments published towards the end of the George Calver and period furniture to furnish the year. observatories. We are particularly Whilst we cannot claim a direct keen to acquire Victorian Kevin Kilburn has recently connection between Calver and mechanical regulator clocks of the published two papers reporting on Pendrell Hall in his own day (he sort that would have been used in aspects of James Nasmyth’s lived in Great Yarmouth), our claim Victorian observatories. We would astronomical activities (Antiquarian of connection is that we have welcome any assistance that SHA Astronomer, 2005, 2, pp37-50). See already restored two Victorian members might be able to offer in also the Newsletter no. 9, December vintage Calver reflectors on site. We locating such items. The address of 2005, p9. expect more Calver connections to the Pendrell Hall Observatories materialise before the end of the Project is Pendrell Hall, Codsall Further information on the Black project. Wood, South Staffordshire, WV8 Country Museum in Dudley is 1QP. The Project Director, John available from their Web site. See In conclusion we can say that when Armitage, can be contacted at URL: http://www.bclm.co.uk/ all phases of this project are Observatory House, 117,

On-line literature searches with the NASA ADS Mark Hurn More associated with the Moon many of which contain links to the many are recent book reviews of landings and probes into deep space, full-text of the articles. Most of the books by Eddington. If we want to NASA produces a database that can content of ADS is highly technical cut these out we need to restrict the be useful to historians of astronomy. and of interest mostly to dates of publication to Eddington’s This database is the Astrophysics professional astronomers, however, lifetime, say those before 1950. This Data System (ADS). It is freely a significant fraction of the content selection can be done simply by available on the Web and therefore is useful to historians. putting ‘1950’ in the second of the accessible to anyone with an Internet two publication date boxes: we now connection. The master copy of the As an example, I will demonstrate have a list of 134 articles by database is at the Harvard- how historical research into the life Eddington (although there are still a Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics of Sir Arthur Eddington (1882- few book reviews included). We can in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but 1944) can be assisted by ADS. see that Eddington’s last published there are several copies around the article was on ‘The recession- world. These copies (‘mirrors’ is the ADS has a search screen which constant of the galaxies’ and jargon) are kept up to date by takes a little practice to understand. published in 1944. We can also find updates which run automatically It allows searching on a great many his first publication, ‘Systematic every night. The most convenient facets, not simply author and title motions of the Stars’ of 1906. copy for users in the UK is at the and it also allows combination Obviously a careful study of this list University of Nottingham and its searches where logical links can be will give many clues to the subjects URL is: made between facets, for example and activities of Eddington, for http://ukads.nottingham.ac.uk/. author=Eddington AND example we can find ‘The total title=nebulae. Firstly we shall try eclipse of 1919 May 29 and the The ADS consists of records of and retrieve a list of articles written influence of gravitation on light’ articles, conference papers and by Eddington himself. To do this we published in The Observatory in books published in astronomy and enter ‘Eddington, A.S.’ in the author 1919. some related fields. The Astronomy field and click the ‘Send Query’ and Astrophysics section of ADS button. We are then faced with a list ADS can also help with secondary has an incredible 1,119,873 items, of 161 items, however we notice that literature: what have people written

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 14 March 2006 about Eddington? To do this we whilst it covers Journal of Thanks to Nick Kollerstrom who have a problem, we cannot simply Astronomical History and Heritage suggested I write this article. put ‘Eddington’ in the title field, if and Journal for the History of we do this we get the hundreds of Astronomy, no general history of [Note: the coverage of the ADS articles which mention the science journals are covered. So extends back further than the Eddington Limit or other useful articles in such journals as twentieth century and much material phenomena named after Eddington. Isis or The British Journal for the which is itself historical is now There is no obvious way around this History of Science would not be included. I believe that the ADS aim problem even if we use the filters found. is to index the journals covered back that ADS provides at the bottom of to their first volume. The first the search screen and select only ADS is certainly of great interest to Astronomische Nachrichten was those journals which carry historical historians of astronomy, however it published in 1821 and the earliest articles. Here we get a lot of does suffer from having a search RAS Monthly Notices appeared a references to winners of the screen primarily designed for few years later. Some astronomical Eddington Medal. However, to be professional astronomers, and from material from the Royal Society’s fair there are some useful references having a coverage restricted to Philosophical Transactions is also within the results and had I searched astronomical journals. I do included. For example, try entering for a less distinguished name than recommend ADS to anyone ‘Herschel, J.’ into the author field Eddington the results might have researching astronomical history as (this works best if you set the second been more relevant. it may, if used carefully, provide of the two publication date boxes to, interesting results. say, 1875), or, even more Looking at the journals indexed onto impressively, ‘Herschel, W.’. – Ed.] ADS we can spot its weaknesses,

meteorological observatory, in line Company of Romsey, Hants. with the changing needs of an Doberck also obtained a $250 grant expanding British colony wholly from Harvard College to fund the dependent on maritime activity and purchase of a position micrometer ever exposed to the threat of for double star observations. During typhoons. His ‘crusty’ his retirement Doberck continued to characteristics and regularly publish double domineering attitude star observations until towards his staff made 1935. Most of his work Dr William Doberck for an often-fiery appeared in the relationship with his Astronomische Professor Kevin MacKeown of the seniors in the Colonial Nachrichten except University of Hong Kong is Service. However, he during and shortly after currently researching William oversaw the previously the Great War when he Doberck (1852-1941). The outline mentioned transition with published in English- of Dr Doberck’s career is great skill and today’s and French-language established, but Professor meteorological journals. Any additional MacKeown would appreciate observatory in Hong Dr William Doberck information would be contact from anyone who can Kong enjoys a high (1852-1941) appreciated. Professor provide additional details. reputation. During his MacKeown can be time in Hong Kong Doberck contacted via e-mail Doberck was born in Copenhagen produced an extensive series of ([email protected]) or and for some years worked at Mr astronomical publications, mostly in through the Newsletter (contact Cooper’s Observatory at Markree the field of double stars. details on the back page). Castle (1875 to 1883), Co Sligo. He then applied for and was appointed Upon retirement, Doberck settled at Further information on the Hong HM Government’s first Director of Sutton, Surrey and set up his own Kong Observatory is available from the newly built Royal Observatory astronomical observatory in his its Web site (see URL: Hong Kong (now the Hong Kong garden. This observatory was http://www.hko.gov.hk/contente.htm Observatory). Doberck was to rule described by him in the Monthly ) or its Wikipedia entry (see URL: the establishment until his Notices of the Royal Astronomical http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_ retirement in 1907. During his Society (1909, 69, p281) and was Kong_Observatory). tenure he oversaw a transition from equipped with a seven-inch refractor an institution performing by Thomas Cooke and Sons, housed Kenneth Goward, meteorological, astronomical and within a prefabricated dome Tuddenham St Martin, Suffolk. magnetic observations to a purely supplied by the Berthon Boat

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 15 March 2006 Early Royal Society manuscripts found Clive Davenhall

Important manuscripts which throw 1677) to become the light on the early history of the Royal Society’s second Royal Society and the work of Secretary. The second set Robert Hooke (1635-1703), its first of manuscripts dates Curator of Instruments, have been from after this found. The documents were appointment and consists discovered by accident during a of Hooke’s own rough routine evaluation of a house in notes of the Society’s Hampshire by the auctioneers meetings. Bonhams of New Bond Street. The manuscripts The manuscripts comprise Hooke’s comprise a little over five The rediscovered manuscripts of early Royal personal copies of the minutes of hundred pages. They Society meetings meetings of the Royal Society for throw important new several decades from 1661. There light on a number of the important application for National Lottery are two sets of manuscripts. The scientific issues of the time, funding is being investigated, for first, covering the period 1661-1677, including early work on which it is important to demonstrate consists of ‘fair copies’ of the microscopes and accurate watches, external support. Assuming that the minutes with (sometimes acerbic) and the development of the theory of auction date has not passed, offers of comments inserted by Hooke. In universal gravitation. The often even modest financial assistance in 1677 Hooke succeeded the recently irascible Hooke was heavily this regard could be helpful, for deceased Henry Oldenburg (1618- involved in all these developments example, perhaps an offer to pledge and became embroiled in a number a few pounds a month for several of priority disputes which hitherto it years. Several SHA Councillors has been impossible to disentangle have made such a commitment. If satisfactorily. you can help please contact Keith Moore (020 7451 2606 or The manuscripts are to be auctioned [email protected]) the RS by Bonhams on 28 March (this Librarian. auction may well have happened by the time this Newsletter reaches you) Further reading and are expected to fetch over £1 million. The Royal Society cannot Royal Society press release: afford to buy them, but it has http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/news.asp No portrait of Robert Hooke (1635- appealed for a ‘white knight’ to ?id=4144 1703) has been definitely identified. This painting is often thought to show purchase them, who would allow him, but the identification is not them to be made available to The particulars issued by Bonhams universally accepted scholars. Also, an emergency are available on their Web site: http://www.bonhams.com/ Book reviews

Barbara Slater, The Astronomer of towards the broader cultural context Rousdon, Charles Grover 1842- of the science. And implicit within 1921. Paperback, Steam Mill this tendency has been the study of Publishing in association with figures who, while not making any Courseware Publications, Bury St revolutionary discoveries, Edmunds, 2005, ISBN 1-898-737- nonetheless played a valuable role in 30-4, £9.94, pp 276, b/w the advancement of astronomy in illustrations. their day. Charles Grover, the self- taught Assistant Astronomer of the Over the past few decades, the study Rousdon Observatory in south of the history of astronomy has been Devon, and his Grand Amateur changing. It has moved away from employer, Sir Cuthbert Peek, were the study of ‘great astronomers’ characteristic figures in the wider (though such studies undoubtedly world of self-funded Victorian have their place in the literature) astronomy.

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 16 March 2006 Barbara Slater has opened up a London telescope and scientific chose. Knowing the heavens in both fascinating world in telling the story instrument maker. At Browning’s hemispheres like the back of his of Charles Grover: indeed, it is a works Grover tested equipment and, hand by 1884, and being fully success story of patience, study, very crucially for his future conversant with contemporary hard work, and loyalty. Traits, alas, advancement, was sent to all parts of astronomical literature, and with that are sneered at in our own the country to assist Grand Amateur what could best be done with the rudderless ‘post-modern’ society. astronomers in setting up, adjusting, optical resources at his disposal, he Yet here we have an engrossing and obtaining the optimum usage of began an original study of variable Victorian tale of an apprentice the fine refractors and reflectors stars, along with the micrometric village brushmaker who, by which they had purchased through measurement of many double stars. dedicated self-education, good Browning. And like William And while the observations were manners, shrewd common sense, Herschel, the German army published under Peek’s own name and a cheerful disposition, rose to a bandsman of a century before, (as was the accepted custom in position which his boyhood whose adroit social sense soon Grand Amateur observatories), contemporaries at Chesham, enabled him to develop friendly and Grover was acknowledged as the Buckinghamshire, would have easy personal relations with his man who had done the work. deemed unimaginable. ‘betters’ so Grover came to enjoy visiting the observatories and homes To look at the reproduced It never ceases to interest me what it of baronets, cathedral dignitaries, photographs of the elderly Charles is that inspires people: especially rich businessmen and such, as he and Elizabeth Grover, they seem those whose formative years are taught them how to use their new indistinguishable from any other hedged in by a lack of both large telescopes to best advantage. successful middle-class couple of education and opportunity, while Through these men, he began an the Edwardian age. Charles enduring the grind of a soul- enduring connection with the Grand especially looks confident and destroying routine job. Yet history is Amateur world, and with the Royal secure, and both husband and wife full of such people, and Charles Astronomical Society, and was wear good-quality clothes, and have Grover was one of them. In the offered the second chance of his clearly ‘made it’. Yet part of Charles autobiographical narrative, written lifetime in 1882. For in that year Grover’s success lay in his astute in 1908, which forms the backbone Cuthbert Peek (whose ample fortune recognition of precisely where he of the present book, Grover tells us derived in part from the Peek, Frean stood on the social scale. No, he how he acquired a youthful biscuit factory) planned on wasn’t in the same league as the fascination with the heavens after travelling to Australia to observe the Astronomer Royal, or the seeing Donati’s Comet in 1858, transit of Venus with a fine 6.4-inch- professorial director of a university scraped his shillings together to buy aperture equatorial refractor, and observatory. He was a very a succession of small telescopes, offered Grover the post of Assistant. privileged upper servant to a rich obtained books (we are not quite Though they were clouded out on employer: like the chief clerk in a sure whether he bought or was able the transit day itself, Grover’s (and firm of fashionable solicitors, an to borrow them), and began a Peek’s) accounts of life and travels estate steward, or the salaried journal of observations when he was in Australia in 1882-3 are riveting in manager of another man’s factory. It in his late teens. And all this time, themselves. And upon their return to was a position demanding education he was earning his living by making England, Peek turned his refractor (even if self-acquired), real brains, brushes, which occupation seems to into the centrepiece of the new good manners, tact, and the ability have been the dominant cottage observatory which he set up on his to move easily in polite society industry of his village. Yet even as a father Sir Henry’s estate at Rousdon, while not quite fully being a teenager Charles was clearly able to near Lyme Regis, Devonshire. member of that society. He was an impress people, for two of his early Charles Grover, his wife Elizabeth, ‘astronomer’s gentleman’. Rousdon, encouragers were none other than Dr and his son George now came to however, clearly became the happy John Lee, FRS, the wealthy Grand reside in a comfortable house on the home of the Grover family from Amateur of Hartwell House, near Rousdon estate, where he directed 1883 until Charles’s death (and then Aylesbury, some dozen miles from the astronomical and meteorological of Elizabeth down to her death in Chesham, who entertained young observatories, and curated the Peek 1927). And knowing that world very Grover on visits to his mansion and family’s museum in the adjacent well, Charles seems to have observatory, and the Revd T.W. mansion. entertained no higher aspirations: a Webb, who was the most eminent trait which he shared with many astronomical populariser of the day. Rousdon seems to have been a other men across the British Isles wonderful place. It was a ‘model’ whom Grand Amateur astronomy But Charles Grover’s first great estate owned and run by a generous had lifted from a life of dull poverty break came in 1869, when his and public-spirited family, and into one of modest gentility, and obvious talents led to his being Charles appears to have been free to who counted their lucky stars, in offered a job by John Browning, the undertake whatever researches he

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 17 March 2006 more than a purely astronomical was engaged in a circulation war sense. with other tabloids.

Reading The Astronomer of The hoax took the form of a series Rousdon one encounters a veritable of articles that appeared in the Sun ‘Who’s Who’ of late Victorian between 25 - 31 August 1835. At the astronomy, and for this reason I time of the hoax Sir John Herschel wish that the book had been was in South Africa surveying the supplied with an index – a detailed southern sky (see p6). The articles index. As it is, one is left searching took the form of extracts from through pages retrospectively, trying papers submitted by Sir John to the to locate where one encountered this Edinburgh Journal of Science, but or that name or thing. And though in with the more technical details her bibliography Barbara Slater omitted for a mass-circulation acknowledges the invaluable newspaper. The reports were, of historical researches of Charles’s course, fakes and almost certainly descendant Jerry Grover (himself an written by Locke. Indeed, by 1835 SHA member who spoke on Charles the Edinburgh Journal of Science Grover at the recent Autumn had ceased publication. The reports Conference; see the report in the started in a realistic and December 2005 Newsletter, 9, p8) Bartholomew, Robert and Evans, uncontroversial manner, seemingly in locating manuscript notebooks Hilary, Panic Attacks – Media well-grounded in technical detail, and letters, and securing their Manipulation and Mass Delusion. and became increasingly outlandish deposit in the archives of the Hardback, Sutton Publishing, as the series progressed. This Science Museum, London, it would Stroud, Gloucestershire, 2004, ISBN technique is well-known to authors have been a help if these documents 0-7509-3785-8, £20.00, pp 222 + xv. of fantastic literature; M.R. James, had been cited as precise notes and the writer of classic ghost stories, for references, with full manuscript At the front of Panic Attacks there is example, was a master of it. The titles and archive numbers. As a quotation from James Thurber to first article described, in convincing things stand, one is left in the air the effect that ‘you can fool too detail, improvements that Sir John with numerous golden nuggets of many of the people too much of the had made to his telescope which information which cannot, from time.’ This dictum might stand as a allowed him to observe the Moon in material contained in the book, be summary of the book, which unprecedented detail. Subsequent properly pinned down archivally. It describes some of the hoaxes, articles described the observations, would also have been useful, if the misinformation and imaginary or which revealed not merely that the facts are available, to know how exaggerated threats with which the Moon was inhabited by numerous much Charles Grover was being mass media have deliberately or and exotic species of flora and paid by Browning and by Peek, so unwittingly misled the public. It fauna, but that it was also the home that one could ‘place’ him, salary might seem odd to review such a of intelligent beaver-people and bat- wise, alongside his fellow assistants book in the SHA Newsletter. men. The articles caused a sensation at the Grand Amateur, Greenwich, However, the first four chapters when they appeared and were and university observatories. cover astronomical stories: the great widely believed. The series came to Moon Hoax of 1835, the Halley’s an abrupt halt on 31 August when it Bibliographical matters apart, Comet scare of 1910 and two was reported that observations had however, I feel that Barbara Slater chapters on Orson Welles’ 1938 been temporarily suspended due to has done an excellent job in bringing broadcast of the apparatus being damaged by fire Charles Grover, his world, and his and its subsequent imitations. This (yes, that old plot device), though by achievements into the light of day review will concentrate on this this stage their authenticity was and making him a real historical astronomical material. being questioned. presence. The book is well and clearly written, and is a fascinating The Great Moon Hoax occurred in Chapter Two describes the Halley’s read. 1835, right at the start of tabloid Comet scare of 1910 (see also the journalism. It was perpetrated by article by Bruce Harper, pp10-12). Allan Chapman Benjamin Day, publisher of the New During the 1910 apparition of York Sun and Richard Adams Comet Halley the Earth passed Locke, one of his journalists. The through the comet’s tail and there Sun was a cheap ‘penny’ newspaper was concern that life would be aimed at a mass-market of mostly wiped out due to the terrestrial poorly-educated immigrants, and it atmosphere being contaminated with poisonous gases. The prehistory of

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 18 March 2006 the scare really goes back to 1881 when Sir William Huggins, the pioneer of astronomical spectroscopy, discovered the poisonous gas cyanogen in the tail of a comet. Initially the approach of Comet Halley was viewed without undue concern. However, that changed on the morning of 7 February 1910 when the normally staid and reliable New York Times published on its front page a sensational and alarmist report that astronomers at the Yerkes Observatory in Chicago had detected cyanogen in the tail of Halley’s Comet, through which the Earth would shortly pass. The report continued that the discovery had A contemporary engraving illustrating articles from the New York Sun’s Moon hoax been communicated to astronomers of 1835. It depicts the lunar bat-men and beaver-people allegedly revealed by Sir throughout the world and there was John Herschel’s observations from South Africa (courtesy of the Mary Evans much concern. , Picture Library) the French populariser of astronomy, in particular, was alarmed. alarm, but in others virtually none, it in their reports, in part because as Bruce Harper reports was the case they wanted to discredit the upstart In fact the astronomical community in Ipswich, Queensland. In the medium of radio, with which they soon appreciated that there was no event, and entirely predictably, in were competing for advertising danger (Flammarion was one of the mid-May 1910 the Earth passed revenue. few who continued to express through the tail with no trace of concern) and the scare received little harm. Subsequently there have been credibility in the scientific press. several similar broadcasts, usually However, once started, scare stories The most famous of the adapted from the same novel continued to appear in newspapers astronomical scares covered is the strangely enough, and some have and reassurances were not always panic caused by the broadcast of caused greater panic. In Ecuador in effective. For example, the Director Orson Welles’ 1938 adaptation of 1949 twenty people were killed in of the Meudon Observatory, whilst the War of the Worlds. There are riots which broke out when listeners insisting that the comet posed no two chapters on this panic, one realised that they had been hoaxed threat, unfortunately added that the covering the original broadcast and and attacked the offices of the tail contained ‘enormous quantities the other subsequent, similar offending radio station. The riots of cyanogen,’ which is true enough, broadcasts. The story of Welles’ were more serious than they would but was not the thing to tell a non- broadcast is well-known. On the otherwise have been because the astronomical journalist. Once the evening of 30 October 1938 Orson police reserves who would normally idea of death and destruction from Welles’ Theater of the Air have contained them had been (you the comet was implanted, ingenious broadcast an updated version of guessed it) dispatched to the authors and editors came up with H.G. Wells’ 1899 novel the War of supposed landing site to help repel increasingly exotic and bizarre the Worlds in which invading the invaders. There is a postscript to scenarios. Perhaps my favourite is landed at Grovers Mill, the War of the Worlds story. On 6 that contact with the tail would New Jersey. Many listeners mistook December 1941 a live broadcast of a cause the nitrogen and oxygen in the the programme for news bulletins poetry recital by Orson Welles was terrestrial atmosphere to combine to reporting real events and interrupted by a news bulletin form nitrous oxide or laughing gas, considerable panic ensued. announcing that the Japanese had and the human race would literally attacked Pearl Harbor. Needless to die laughing. ‘This species has One reason for the effectiveness of say it was widely disbelieved. amused itself to death,’ as Roger the broadcast was that it played on Waters once wrote. the unease of a population already The remaining chapters cover jittery as Europe slid towards war. similar but non-astronomical scares, The response to the scare varied At least one listener thought that the from satanic ritual abuse and enormously from person to person Martians were really Germans in illusory terrorists to mad cows, and and between countries and regions. disguise. Also, whilst some panic with even a mention of the BBC’s In places there was considerable certainly occurred it seems that the notorious Ghostwatch of 1992. The newspapers deliberately exaggerated final chapter discusses how to

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 19 March 2006 protect against disinformation by the ‘repealed’ (p58). The book has an account of Sir John Herschel’s trip mass media. American emphasis and is aimed at to the Cape. The chapters on the a lay audience, though it has War of the Worlds panics are also Robert Bartholomew previously extensive references. There are a interesting, though this material is taught sociology at James Cook few well-chosen black-and-white perhaps more familiar. However, University and Hilary Evans is illustrations, which would be these astronomical chapters occupy Director of the Mary Evans Picture otherwise difficult to find, and only 71 out 187 pages. Whether the Library and a member of the Society which are reproduced on good- rest of the material appeals will for Psychical Research. Both have quality glossy paper (one is depend on your interests. written extensively on hoaxes and reproduced on p19 and another on unusual phenomena. Their book is p11, bottom right). In the context of Clive Davenhall well-written and well-produced and the history of astronomy the book I spotted only a few slips. Prof. can be recommended for its Reference Andrew Cromelin was an employee coverage of the Sun’s Moon hoax of the Royal Observatory and the 1910 Comet Halley scare, Steven Ruskin, 2004, John Greenwich, not the ‘University of descriptions of which are otherwise Herschel’s Cape Voyage. Private Greenwich’ (p24) and I suspect that hard to come by, though there is Science, Public Imagination and the the invaders should have another recent account of the Moon Ambitions of Empire (Ashgate: been ‘repelled’ rather than hoax in Steven Ruskin’s (2004) Aldershot). See pp94-100.

Books noticed Madeline Cox

Galileo: the Great Scientist’s Ideas Astronomical Archives and Historic and their Relevance to the Present Transits of Venus. C. Sterken, Vrije Day. Oxford University Press, 2006, Universiteit Brussel, 2005, hardback, ISBN 0198566255, paperback, ISBN 9080553867, £19.99. €37.00 (about £26; inc. airmail postage). Glass, I. Revolutionaries of the Cosmos: the Astrophysicists. Oxford Vollmann, W.T. Uncentering the Univ. Press, 2005, ISBN Earth: Copernicus and ‘The 198570996, £35.00. Revolution of the Heavenly This column lists some recently Spheres’. Norton, 2006, hardback, published books that might be of Mohr, P. John Birmingham, Esq: ISBN 0393059693, $(US)22.95. interest. Listing here does not Tuam and Ireland’s New Star. preclude a review at a later date. Millbrook Nova Press, 2002, Yourgrau, P.A. World Without Please note prices may vary hardback, ISBN 095431770X, Time: the Forgotten Legacy of according to suppliers. £22.50. Godel and Einstein. Allen Lane, 2005, ISBN 0713993871, £20.00. Frova, A. and Marenzana, M. (trans. Sterken, C. and Duerbeck, H.W. J.H. McManus). Thus Spake (eds). Astronomical Heritages:

Library news Madeline Cox and Stuart Williams

Since the last report all pre-1986 In addition to the items transferred, the BMI. Additional donations of stock has been transferred to the Sir there have also been a significant magazines and journals are Robert Ball Library at the number of donations (see below). anticipated in the first half of 2006. Birmingham & Midland Institute. A Consequently a stock-take is being small loan collection is being set up undertaken. The first part is Library catalogue there. All post-1986 stock remains complete, but a second session will in the Sir Patrick Moore Lending be held later in the year. We are In view of the recent developments, Library and is available for loan. To grateful to (in alphabetical order): it has been decided to split the borrow items contact the Librarian, Peter Hingley, Les Jepson, Roger catalogue into separate sections: the Madeline Cox, 4, Rutland Close, Jones, Dorothy Malpass and Martin Sir Robert Ball Reference Library, Warsop, Mansfield, Notts NG20 Lunn for either helping with this the Stuart Williams Reference 0DY ([email protected]). stock-take or transferring books to Collection, and the Sir Patrick

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 20 March 2006 Moore Lending Library. The catalogue can still be found on our Web site at www.shastro.org.uk. If you would like a printed copy, please send an SAE to Madeline Cox (contact details above).

Sir Robert Ball Library

In addition to the new stock, a second computer has been installed, an Apple iMac G4. It will enable expansion of the SRB Library’s work and, in particular, the use of a series of indexed DVD’s of The English Mechanic (generously donated by the producer, SHA member Eric Hutton) for research purposes. The computer is on a long-term loan from Stuart Sir David Gill’s History and Description of the Cape Observatory (1913). The Society Williams. has acquired a copy of this rare and important volume as a result of the dispersal of the library of the late Dr Jon Darius. The copy in the Society’s Library was previously the RAS copy; the RAS now has the copy from Dr Darius’ collection. Strictly it is the Donations current RAS copy which is shown here (courtesy of the Royal Astronomical Society)

A considerable number of donations Also, the Library has received a Finally, we have catalogued a large have been received; too many to list significant number of volumes number of surplus volumes received individually. We thank the following following the dispersal of the a while ago from the Royal individuals who have kindly Library of the late Dr Jon Darius. Observatory Edinburgh, for which contributed (in alphabetical order): These accessions were made we are grateful to Karen Moran, the Madeline Cox, Clive Davenhall, possible due to the generosity of Dr ROE Librarian. Many are in Peter Grego, Mark Hurn, Nigel Darius’ widow and were facilitated European languages. The Society Longshaw, Paul Mohr and Stuart by the Science Museum and Peter thanks all our donors, whose Williams. Hingley. generosity is much appreciated. Library Opening Times

In all cases you should check SHA Sir Robert Ball Library afternoon it will be used for an SHA availability before visiting and bring Council meeting. your SHA membership card for For the remainder of 2006 the Sir identification. Robert Ball Library will be open on The Library is located at the selected Saturdays only, as listed Birmingham & Midland Institute, 9, below. On these days the opening Margaret Street, Birmingham, B3 hours will be 10:30 am – 12:00 3BS. BMI Web site: noon, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm www.bmi.org.uk. You are strongly (closed for lunch noon – advised to check that the Library is 1:00 pm). Please note that open before visiting to avoid the Library will not be open disappointment. Contact Stuart on Mondays during 2006. Williams, telephone 07906 103735 during opening hours only. Any 25 March, 29 April, 27 enquiries, please write with SAE to: May, 24 June, 22 July, 19 SHA, 26, Matlock Road, Bloxwich, August, 30 September, 28 Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3QD October, 25 November*, 9 or by email to: December. [email protected]

* – On 25 November the The Birmingham & Midland Institute Library will close at 12:00 noon because in the

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 21 March 2006 RAS Library older book material, archives, and Contact Peter Hingley (020-7734 - especially older journals, are 4582, ext. 215; mobile: 07757 The RAS Library is open during required during these extended 133891 or [email protected]). office hours, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, openings as some of these items Monday to Friday. In addition it will may be in another building which is On-line catalogue: be open on the first Saturday of not accessible on Saturdays. The http://ras.heritage4.com every month, 9:30 – 5:30. It will front door to the RAS premises is also stay open until 6:00 pm on the locked on Saturdays, so visitors ROE Library nights of BAA London Wednesday must ring the bell and wait to be let meetings and, if the BAA arranges in. Unfortunately, it is difficult to The ROE Library is usually open any London Saturday meetings, it hear the bell from the Librarian’s during office hours, Monday to will attempt to cover those as well. office. Please ring his mobile Friday. Contact Karen Moran (0131- Therefore the planned Saturday telephone (below) in case of 668-8395 or [email protected]). openings until the end of 2006 will difficulty. Finally, please note that be: the continuation of the extended On-line catalogue: openings for 2006 is an experiment http://www.roe.ac.uk/roe/library/ind 1 April, 6 May, 3 June, 1 July, 5 intended to benefit amateur ex.html and follow the links: August, 2 September, 7 October, 4 astronomers and historians, such as ‘Search the Main Library Catalogue’ November, 2 December. SHA members, and will only be and ‘ROE Catalogue’. continued if sufficient readers use It is essential to contact the the Library on these days to make it Librarian in advance if any rare or worth while; so use it or lose it! RAS Library closure Peter Hingley

The RAS premises in Burlington House are to be completely refurbished in order to provide greatly improved facilities for Fellows and staff. The improvements will include the reintroduction of a meeting room and the installation of a lift. A particular benefit for the Library will be the provision of environmentally controlled storage for the Rare Books and Archives.

However, the work will cause considerable disruption. The details have still to be worked out, but it is likely that the Library will close late in 2006 for an extended period of at least a year. The whole collection in the main part of Burlington House will be moved out into storage sometime late in 2006. During this time the staff will do their best to provide a restricted service on a ‘request in advance’ basis but this will inevitably be slow and inconvenient.

The overall message is that if you wish to use the RAS collections you should do so before the autumn of 2006, if at all possible. Further details will be announced as they become known. Forthcoming meetings and events Clive Davenhall

The following is a preliminary list of forthcoming of the Newsletter are welcome. They should be sent to meetings and events to be held during 2006. Booking is the editorial address given on the back page. necessary unless noted otherwise. Except where noted the events are organised by the SHA. The details of non- Thr. 1 Dec. (2005) to Fri. 16 Jun. The Library of the SHA events are checked as far as possible but cannot be Royal Society is currently presenting a small exhibition guaranteed. Items for inclusion in this list in future issues of historical astronomical material to celebrate the recent

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 22 March 2006 appointment of Lord Rees of Ludlow, the Astronomer Sat. 7 Oct. SHA Autumn Conference: Instruments and Royal, as its President. See: Imaging. To be held at the BMI. Any appropriate topic http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/page.asp?id=3970. Admission from earliest times to the present day may be included. free. The Library is open to the public 10:00am - Initial offers of papers from members, including a short 5:00pm, Mon. to Fri. Visitors need to register as Library abstract and suggested length (twenty, thirty or sixty readers; the procedure is simple but some picture ID minutes including question time) as well as audio-visual (passport, driving licence etc.) is required. Details at: requirements, are welcome by post only, with SAE to the http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/page.asp?id=1647. The Royal Secretary, Stuart Williams, 26, Matlock Road, Bloxwich, Society, 6-9, Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y WS3 3QD. 5AG (020 7451 2500) (non-SHA event). Details of additional forthcoming international Mon. 3 to Fri. 7 Apr. NAM 2006. National Astronomy conferences are included in Wolfgang Dick’s Electronic Meeting organised by the RAS and PPARC. To be held Newsletter for the History of Astronomy. An archive is at the University of Leicester. An historical session will available at URL: http://www.astro.uni- be held on 11.00am-12.30pm, Thursday, 6 April. bonn.de/~pbrosche/aa/enha/. Admission £70 (for the day); advance registration necessary. See http://www.nam2006.le.ac.uk/index.shtml or contact Peter Hingley (details overleaf) (non-SHA event).

Thr. 6 to Mon. 10 Apr. Ancient Watching at Cosmic Space and Astronomical Phenomenon. Archaeoastronomy conference organised by the Société Européene pour L’Astronomie dans la Culture (SEAC) and the Laboratory of Archaeometry, Dept. of Mediterranean Studies, University of the Aegean. Registration €430 with accommodation, €130 without. See: http://www.rhodes.aegean.gr/tms/SEAC2006.htm (non-SHA event).

Fri. 12 to Sun. 14 May. The Worlds of Oronce Fine: Mathematics, Instruments, and The Book in Renaissance France. A conference on the French mathematician Oronce Fine (1491-1555) who also wrote on astronomy, amongst other subjects. To be held at the University of St Andrews. Registration £40 (before 31 March). See Oronce Fine (1491-1555), whose work will be http://www-ah.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/conference-marr- discussed in St Andrews over the weekend of oroncefine.html or contact: Alexander Marr 12-14 May ([email protected]), School of Art History, University of St Andrews, 9, The Scores, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9AR (non-SHA event).

Sat. 20 May. SHA Annual General Meeting and Spring Conference: Women in Astronomy. To be held at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge. The draft programme features a welcome by Dr David Dewhirst, with Madeline Cox, Tony Kinder and Mary Books Brück as the main speakers. Further information should NEW ASTRONOMY BOOKS AT DISCOUNTED PRICES be enclosed with this Newsletter. AND SECONDHAND ASTRONOMY BOOKS Sat. 8 July. SHA Summer Picnic. By kind invitation, to be held at ‘Farthings’, Selsey, West Sussex, the home Martin Lunn MBE and observatory of Sir Patrick Moore. Admission will be 6 Evelyn Crescent by prior booked ticket only. Clifton York Mon. 14 to Sat. 25 Aug. IAU General Assembly XXVI. YO3O 6DR To be held in Prague. IAU Commission 41 (History of TEL/FAX 01904 337989 Astronomy) will be organising sessions as part of this www.aurora-books-uk.co.uk meeting. See: http://www.astronomy2006.com/ (non- E-mail: [email protected] SHA event).

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 23 March 2006 New members Council and Officers

The Society for the History of Astronomy extends a very Hon President: warm welcome to the following members who have Dr Allan Chapman recently joined the Society: Hon Vice Presidents: Dr Michael Hoskin Dr Wayne Orchiston of the James Cook University, Sir Patrick Moore CBE FRS Queensland, Australia. Mr William R. Airy of Wimbledon, London. Chairman: Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS of Potters Bank, Durham. Gilbert Satterthwaite FRAS ([email protected]) Mr Adam Jared Apt of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Secretary: We also welcome the Science Museum Library to our Stuart Williams FRAS Institutional memberships. 26 Matlock Road, Bloxwich, Walsall, WS3 3QD ([email protected])

Treasurer: Kenneth J. Goward, FRAS, Subscription reminder 14 Keightley Way, Tuddenham St Martin, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP6 9BJ If you have not renewed your subscription for 2006 your ([email protected]) membership will lapse at the end of March. This Council Members Newsletter will certainly be the last publication, and William Barton ([email protected]) probably the last communication, that you will receive from the Society. Please renew if you wish to continue to Madeline Cox ([email protected]) enjoy the benefits of membership. A renewal form was enclosed with the December Newsletter, but briefly Peter Hingley ([email protected]) Ordinary Membership costs £22.50 per annum, cheques Mark Hurn ([email protected]) should be made payable to the ‘Society for the History of Astronomy’ and sent to the Secretary, Stuart Williams, Roger Jones ([email protected]) (details opposite), not the Treasurer (see below). Dr Nicholas Kollerstrom ([email protected])

Martin Lunn MBE ([email protected])

Kenneth Goward Dr Reginald Withey ([email protected])

We are sad to report that Ken Goward’s long-standing Editor, The Antiquarian Astronomer medical problems have recently worsened, resulting in Dr W R Withey his hospitalisation. He is likely to be out of action for an Editor, The Antiquarian Astronomer extended period. Because Ken is the Society’s Treasurer, 16 Lennox Close and handles membership matters, the procedure for Gosport PO12 2UJ ([email protected]) submitting membership renewals and applications has changed slightly (see above) and there are likely to be Assistant Editor, The Antiquarian Astronomer delays. We apologise and hope that you can bear with us. Kevin Johnson ([email protected]) We extend every best wish to Ken and his family. Newsletter correspondence to: Clive Davenhall, 30, Millar Crescent, Morningside, Newsletter submissions Edinburgh, EH10 5HH ([email protected]) Guidelines for submitting articles and letters to the Librarian Newsletter were included in a previous issue (No. 7, June Madeline Cox ([email protected]) 2005) and are available from the Society’s Web site. Archivist Articles, letters and Newsletter inquiries should be sent Mark Hurn ([email protected]) to Clive Davenhall. For electronic contributions the e- Website Manager mail address is: [email protected]. For paper Greg Smye-Rumsby, contributions see the box opposite. ([email protected])

General communications to the Society should be directed to the Secretary in the first instance.

The deadline for the next edition of the Newsletter is SHA Website: the 1st of May 2006. http://www.shastro.org.uk

SHA Newsletter – Issue 10 Page 24 March 2006