Wandering Astronomers: past, present, and future of mountaintop astronomy

Come along to one of our meetings, hear interesting talks, find out about what’s in the sky this month and meet other astronomers.We meet bi-monthly, usually on the first Friday of the month at 7:30pm in person and on a Friday mid-month online, and we are always happy to see new faces at our meetings. The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh (ASE) has been holding meetings in Edinburgh about astronomy since 1924.

The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh

Talk by Prof. Andrew Lawrence, Regius Professor of Astronomy at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh.

Augustine United Church

Admission is free and visitors are always welcome but you must register if you are not a member as spaces are limited.

"In 1856, Charles Piazzi Smyth, together with his scientist wife Jessie, and a crew of sailors and Spanish helpers, changed the way we do astronomy. They traveled to Tenerife, lived on the mountain in stone houses they built themselves, and made amazing measurements that proved that observations were much better – clearer, sharper, deeper – than from smoky cities like Edinburgh. Piazzi Smyth believed that in the future we would all become 'peripatetic astronomers', wandering from mountain to mountain to get the best results. I will trace the story of how this idea became a reality, and how indeed wandering the globe to use bigger and better telescopes has been the story of my own career for 40 years. However, this golden age of peripatetic mountain astronomy is coming to a close. Why, and what lies ahead? This is the 200th anniversary of the birth of the extraordinary Charles Piazzi Smyth, so it is an excellent time to examine his legacy.”Visitors are welcome at our meetings, but because of the popularity of our talks, visitors must register for a free ticket as visitor spaces are limited. Visitors can also leave after the main talk or are welcome to stay on for the rest of the meeting.Also at our meetings:<ul><li>What’s in the night sky this month</li><li>Overview of astronomy and space news</li><li>Occasional member presentations</li></ul>

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Wandering Astronomers: past, present, and future of mountaintop astronomy

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