Prof Andy Lawrence, Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and one of our Honorary Presidents, gave us a really interesting talk on 200 years of the history of astronomical imaging at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh. Jim Nisbet also covered the Sky in June and this was followed by an SGM and our AGM.

Andy covered everything from the founding of the Royal Observatory on Calton Hill, which we use to occupy, to its present day location on Blackford Hill. He then went on to explain:

  • How things have developed: hand, eye and telescope
  • Beating the atmosphere – including Charles Piazzi Smyth’s expeditions to prove that mountain tops are better places to observe than ground level
  • Mapping the sky – how various surveys have mapped the sky in detail
  • Capturing light – the different ways and technologies
  • The multi-wavelength sky – new ways observing, bringing us up to date with JWST and the Vera Rubin Telescope

A really fascinating and wide-ranging talk. Definitely one to watch if you missed it.

Mark Phillips