*************************************************************************** * * * ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER FOR THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY * * * * Published by the Working Group for the History of Astronomy * * in the Astronomische Gesellschaft * * * * Number 15, June 13, 1996 * * * * A translation of * * * * ELEKTRONISCHE MITTEILUNGEN ZUR ASTRONOMIEGESCHICHTE * * Nr. 15, 11. Juni 1996 * * * * Edited by: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick * * * * Translated by: Mr. Donald Bellunduno <76450.1741@CompuServe.COM> * * * *************************************************************************** Contents -------- 1. Harry Jamieson: In Search of an Historian 2. Conference Announcement: Journees Systemes de Reference Spatio-Temporels. Two centuries of evolution of "Systeme du Monde". Homage to Laplace 3. Bart Fried: Conference Announcement: Antique Telecope Society Annual Convention 4. Conference Announcement: Humanizing the Medieval Sciences 5. DISPUTATIO: An International Transdisciplinary Journal of the Late Middle Ages. Call for Papers 6. Conferences 1996/97 Expressions of thanks Imprint ........................................................................... Item 1 ENHA No. 15, June 13, 1996 ........................................................................... In Search of an Historian ------------------------- By Harry Jamieson, USA The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers is an international group of amateur and professional astronomers (membership, about 650) devoted to solar system astronomy. Having Clyde Tombaugh as a founding (and current!) member is only one of the many reasons why we have become interested in forming an Historical Section. We would like to find someone to work with us in forming such a Section and running it for us. As an amateur organization, all of our staff positions are unpaid, but we are hoping to find someone with a strong interest in working with a group of enthusiastic amateurs. Interested persons can find out more about our organization by writing to me or visting our home page at http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/alpo/. Editor's Note: Harry Jamieson is the Executive Director of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers. His E-mail address is 104145.754@CompuServe.COM . ........................................................................... Item 2 ENHA No. 15, June 13, 1996 ........................................................................... Conference Announcement: Journees Systemes de Reference Spatio-Temporels ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JOURNEES SYSTEMES DE REFERENCE SPATIO-TEMPORELS 1996 Deux siecles d'evolution du Systeme du Monde. Hommage a Laplace Two centuries of evolution of "Systeme du Monde". Homage to Laplace Scientific organizing committee : N. Capitaine (Chair), M. Amalvict, C. Balkowski, P. Bretagnon, S. Debarbat, J.- P. Verdet Local organizing committee : S. Debarbat (Chair), M. Alibert, L. Garin, A. Hayot, F. Medina Venue : Henri-Mineur Amphitheatre, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris & Building B, Observatoire de Paris, 75014 - Paris 23-24-25 September 1996 At the end of the fifth Journees Systemes de reference spatio-temporels which was organized in Paris in 1992, it was decided that future meetings will held alternately in Paris and other European centers. Thus, Journees 1994 has been organized in Paris and Journees 1995 at the Space Research Center in Warsaw. The Journees 1996 will held in Paris on 23-25 September 1996, in honour of the first publication (1796) of P.S. Laplace's Systeme du Monde. The programme will be divided into six sessions, each of them devoted to a topic studied by Laplace and developed in contemporary research. Each session will include introductory talks, oral and poster presentations. The participants will have the opportunity to visit the Neptune exhibition at Paris Observatory in commemoration of Neptune's discovery by Le Verrier in 1846. They will also be able to observe Neptune at the Paris Observatory as was done for the first time on September 23 rd, 1846 by Galle and d'Arrest in Berlin. Communications languages will be French, and occasionally English. Preliminary program Monday 23 September morning : I) DES "MOUVEMENS" CELESTES AUX SYSTEMES DE REFERENCE topics : Des "MOUVEMENS" apparents et "MOUVEMENS" reels des corps celestes consideres par Laplace aux definitions et realisations actuelles des systemes de reference dans le cadre de la Relativite Generale, ... afternoon : II) LE CHAMP DE PESANTEUR TERRESTRE ET SES VARIATIONS topics : De la Figure de la Terre et de la theorie des marees de Laplace au geoide actuel et a la modelisation recente des marees oceaniques a partir de la geodesie spatiale, ... evening : Visit of Neptune's exhibition and observation of Neptune Thuesday 24 September morning : III) THEORIES PLANETAIRES ET STABILITE DU SYSTEME SOLAIRE topics : La stabilite du Systeme solaire, de Laplace a nos jours, de la Mecanique Celeste de Laplace aux theories planetaires actuelles, ... afternoon : IV) DES COSMOLOGIES AUX GRANDES STRUCTURES DE L'UNIVERS topics : Historique des cosmologies, formation des grandes structures de l'Univers, ... evening : Preliminary to session V), visit of cesium fountain of LPTF Buffet for the registred participants Wenesday 25 September morning : V) DU TEMPS ASTRONOMIQUE AU TEMPS ATOMIQUE topics : Le temps et sa mesure, evolution des echelles de temps et de la mesure du temps, ... afternoon : VI) REPRESENTATION MATHEMATIQUE ET REPRESENTATION PHYSIQUE DE L'UNIVERS topics : Operateurs mathematiques en mecanique celeste et geophysique (Laplacien, Lagrangien, Hamiltonien, ...), distances cosmiques et constante de Hubble, Grand Attracteur, ... PRE-REGISTRATION FORM To be sent back not later than 30 April 1996 either to F. Medina, DANOF/URA 1125, Observatoire de Paris, 61 Avenue de l'observatoire, 75014 Paris, France, or to danof@danof.obspm.fr. First Name .................. Last Name .................... Institution .................................................. Adress ....................................................... Phone, Fax, E-Mail ........................................... . plans to attend the Journees 1996 Systemes de Reference Spatio-temporels: "Two centuries of evolution of "Systeme du Monde". Homage to Laplace", Paris, on 23-24-25 September 1996. YES or NO . and proposes to contribute by a presentation untiled .concerning session Num. ............ (cf preliminary program) - oral communication . Proposed form - poster . Would like to receive the provisional program and the final registration form which will be send on May 1996. YES or NO ........................................................................... Item 3 ENHA No. 15, June 13, 1996 ........................................................................... Conference Announcement: Antique Telecope Society Annual Convention ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Bart Fried, USA ANTIQUE TELESCOPE SOCIETY ANNUAL CONVENTION CITIES OF BATH / LONDON Sept 27th to Oct 1st 1996 The Convention will be in two parts. EACH WILL REQUIRE SEPARATE REGISTRATION. The first part will be the Conference meeting from mid-afternoon on Friday 27th September to Sunday evening the 29th of September. The second part will be a tour of many historic sites and instrument collections from early Monday morning 30th September to Wednesday morning 3rd of October- See enclosed itinerary. For complete agenda, registration and cost information, contact Dr. Walter Breyer, whbreyer@aol.com, Dr. Ron Maddison, ronmadd@digital.net,325 Island Oaks Place, Merritt Island, Florida 32953, (407)-453-4723, or Bart Fried, bsfried@aol.com or 71223.3430@compuserve.com. CONFERENCE FRIDAY 27th Sept. Registration at the FRANCIS HOTEL, Bath. Civic Reception in the Pump Room at the Roman Baths. Welcome by the Lord Mayor or his Deputy. Short tours of the torch-lit Roman Baths. Banquet in the historic Pump Room. Keynote Address by Dr. Allan Chapman. Adjourn to Francis Hotel for informal social activities. SATURDAY 28th Sept. Paper Session (1) Break for COFFEE adjoining Aix-en-Provence Room Paper Session (2) Lunch Paper Session (3) Afternoon tea Paper Session (4) Aperitifs, dinner Invited Lecture by Dr. Patrick Moore.C.B.E. Adjourn to Francis Hotel for social activities. SUNDAY 29th Sept. Juried displays and exhibits of member's and guests' antique telescopes, books, atlases, binoculars. Coffee reception at the William Herschel House, Headquarters of the "Herschel Society". Lunch Paper Session (5) afternoon tea Paper Session (6) Aperitifs dinner, Presentation of medals/awards Invited Lecture (to be announced) Adjourn to Francis Hotel for informal social events. TOURS The following tours will be by specially designed touring coaches (two) described as follows by the company:- 'Both coaches are equipped with forced air ventilation, video, toilet / washroom, servery, a small 'fridge and reclining seats. Complimentary drinks i.e. tea, coffee and chocolate will be on board. The Coaches will stay with us throughout the two days. MONDAY 30th Sept. BLYTHE HOUSE COLLECTION - The Store contains items such as: The Nasmyth 20" alt-azimuth; the Oxford Heliometer; the Smyth equatorial; the Groombridge Circle; and the Kew photoheliograph. There are numerous other exhibits including the 48" Herschel speculum etc. SCIENCE MUSEUM IN EXHIBITION ROAD: The Rosse 72" speculum from Birr Castle and a fine scale model of the telescope; the Complete Isaac Roberts Observatory (set up on the roof) containing a Grubb 20" reflector with a 7" refractor on the same mounting; and Caroline Herschel's own telescope. CARLTON HOUSE TERRACE, which is the headquarters of the Royal Society: View the original Newton Reflector, the Royal Society Library where a small exhibition will have been mounted. Time for NEARBY AREAS OF INTEREST in Central London such as Westminster, Buckingham Palace, or the main stores around the general area of Piccadilly Circus. There is also the main collection of Trevor Philips (Antique Scientific Instruments etc.) close by in Jermyn Street. UNIVERSITY OF LONDON OBSERVATORY in Mill Hill Park, North London: Several historic instruments; The main instrument is a 24" photographic refractor, carrying an 18" visual refractor on the same mount, both made by Grubb in 1902 originally for the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford. There is also a 6" refractor by Cooke, known as the Joynson Telescope, and a modern 24" reflector by Ealing Beck. DINNER, ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, WORDSWORTH ROOM, (Where William Wordsworth lived when he was a student, and where John Herschel was a student and later became a Fellow. TUESDAY 1st October WHIPPLE MUSEUM in Free School Lane: This museum houses a fine collection of many early telescopes including:- Three refractors by Jesse Ramsden ( 1770, 1770 and 1785), one by J. Yarwell (1675), a Dollond of London (1880), two reflectors by James Short (1760 and 1763), a reflector by Nairne and Blunt of London (1793), one by John Cuthbert of London (1826), a Herschel of (1790), a reflector by John Cuff of London (1740), A refractor by Wray (1875) and an early object glass by Christopher Cock of London (1668). INSTITUTE OF ASTRONOMY AND OBSERVATORIES, Madingley Road. - Items available for viewing will include the following:-The 11.75" Northumberland telescope (which originally contained a fine triplet by Cauchoix of Paris - but now has a fine doublet by Hysom), the 8" Thorrowgood telescope by Cooke (which was once owned by Rev. W.R. Dawes.), the 36"reflector by Grubb, and a new design prototype 20" three-mirror, totally achromatic, wide field fast camera by Willstrop and Hysom. This will be explained and demonstrated by its designer Dr. Roderick Willstrop of Cambridge University Observatory. WOOLSTHORPE MANOR, BIRTHPLACE OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON. During our visit light refreshments, including apple cake and apple pie, will be provided 'Under the Apple Tree' by a group of local ladies while smaller groups tour the house. OLD ROYAL OBSERVATORY IN GREENWICH PARK. - The main instrument is the 28" Grubb refractor (built in 1893) which is mounted in a classical English equatorial, between an open lattice polar yoke, inside the well known onion dome landmark. We hope to be able to use the telescope, but this obviously depends on favorable weather conditions. There may be time during the evening to tour some of the other buildings, such as Flamsteed House, the Octagon Room, and the Transit telescope marking the Prime Meridian. The Old Royal Observatory now houses the famous collection of Harrison navigational chronometers as well as an extensive collection of early astronomical instruments. The Octagon Room contains several original instruments and the Airy Transit telescope marks the Zero Meridian of longitude - marked by a brass plaque in front of the building. WEDNESDAY 2nd OCTOBER Follow-up leisurely visit to Old Royal Observatory and / or visit to neighboring Maritime Museum. The Maritime Museum contains navigational instruments and a fine collection of models and naval memorabilia. ........................................................................... Item 4 ENHA No. 15, June 13, 1996 ........................................................................... Conference Announcement: Humanizing the Medieval Sciences --------------------------------------------------------- Special CEMERS Session 1996 30th Annual CEMERS Conference Binghamton, NY October 18 - 19, 1996 Requesting presentations on integrative and interdisciplinary research and teaching projects linking the medieval sciences and humanities. I am interested in practical approaches to the teaching of natural philosophy, medicine, astronomy, astrology, quadrivial sciences, etc. in medieval studies programs and how these pedagogies can be situated in broader cultural patterns and linked to literary, philosophical, legal, and other humanistic studies. Case studies would be welcome: how is your program teaching (or not teaching) medieval science? What sorts of institutional and departmental support do you receive for interdisciplinary work? What integrative projects have worked well for you? NOTE: Topic extended to medieval sciences and technology exclusively. REPLY (early replies appreciated) by June 1, 1996 with 500 word abstract or complete 20 minute presentation and brief description of research interests and / or CV to: A. S. Weber Box 217 Department English SUNY Binghamton Binghamton, NY 13902 br00126@bingsuns.cc.binghamton.edu 607 - 773 - 4755 (H) 607 - 777 - 2168 (W) 607 - 777 - 2408 (FAX) Other Abstracts, Inquiries to: Charles Burroughs, Director, CEMERS Binghamton University P.O. Box 6000 Binghamton, NY 13902 - 6000 TEL: 607 - 777 - 2730 E-Mail: CEMERS@bingsuns.cc.binghamton.edu ........................................................................... Item 5 ENHA No. 15, June 13, 1996 ........................................................................... DISPUTATIO: An International Transdisciplinary Journal of the ------------------------------------------------------------- Late Middle Ages. Call for Papers --------------------------------- *Disputatio* is an international transdisciplinary annual of the late middle ages (ca. 1300-1550) published by Northwestern University Press. Each issue provides exhaustive and diverse treatments of one significant example of late medieval culture by scholars representing various nations, approaches, and disciplines. We feature scholarly articles, inclusive review essays, and a comprehensive bibliography on each issue topic. FALL 1997 ISSUE: *Constructions of Time in the Late Middle Ages* SUBMISSIONS DUE: November 1, 1996 Scholarly articles and research notes concerning all aspects of late medieval constructions of time are welcome. Topics may include but are not limited to: -Time and narrative -Eternity and perpetuity -Time, space, and infinity -Time and authority -Future contingents -Artistic portrayals of time -Travel and time -Law and time -Gender and time -Human life cycle -"Kairos" -Nominalist and realist perspectives on time -Clocks, work, and time (Werkglocken) -The late medieval calendar -Mysticism and time -Meter, rhythm, and time -Succession, inheritance, and generations -Memoria -Eschatology -Tense structures in late medieval languages -Cosmology and cosmogeny -Allegories of time Length is 4,000-12,000 words for articles, 2,500 words for research notes. If you are interested in writing review or bibliographic essays, please contact us. We will consider articles in English or either major European languages or Latin with substantial abstracts in English. Please ask for our style sheet. ADDRESS: Carol Poster and Richard Utz, Editors *Disputatio* English Department, Baker 115 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA 50614 e-mail: disputatio@cobra.uni.edu ........................................................................... Item 6 ENHA No. 15, June 13, 1996 ........................................................................... Conferences 1996/97 ------------------- 21 - 23 June 1996, Isili, Italy Convegno di studi "I nuraghi archeologia, astronomia, architettura" Contacts: Compagnia dell'Arco, C.A.P. 08033 Via Dante, 50 Isili, Italy, tel. 0782/802973-802736-802443 3 July 1996, London, UK Annual General Meeting of the Society of Antiquaries Place: Burlington House, Piccadily, London W1 Lectures: "Behind the Stars" by Gerard Turner, "Arithmometers" by S. Johnston, "Weights & Measures" by A.D.C. Simpson 15 - 17 July 1996, Goettingen, Germany VII Workshop on the History of Modern Mathematics Information: Dr. Hans J. Becker, Niedersaechische Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek, Platz der Goettinger Sieben 1, D-37073 Goettingen, Germany 15 - 20 September 1996, Jena, Germany Annual Conference of the German Mathematical Society [Jahrestagung der Deutschen Mathematiker-Vereinigung]; Session 7 "History and Philosophy of Mathematics" [Sektion 7 "Geschichte und Philosophie der Mathematik"] Information: Prof. Dr. Hans-Juergen Engelbert, Fakultaet fuer Mathematik und Informatik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena, D-07740 Jena, Germany, Tel. 03641/630819 or 631107 26 October 1996, London (Greenwich), UK Scientific Instrument Society's visit to the National Maritime Museum Reserve Collection in The Old Observatory, Greenwich, London SE10 26 - 31 October 1996, Nice, France 121eme Congres National des Societes Historiques et Scientifiques The session on "Histoire des sciences et des techniques" is on the topic of "Astronomie et astronomes dans le comte de Nice et la France meridionale". Registration had to be before March 31, 1996, but it seems to be flexible. Contacts: Suzanne Debarbat (Paris Observatory) and Paul Brouzeng (LIREST, Bat307, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France) 3 - 7 March 1997, Potsdam, Germany Colloqium on the History of Geophysics during the Annual Conference of the German Geophysical Society [Jahrestagung der Deutschen Geophysikalischen Gesellschaft] Information: Dr. Wilfried Schroeder, Hechelstr. 8, D-28777 Bremen-Roennebeck, Germany 28 May - 1 June 1997, Calw, Germany 4th Meeting of the Special Section "History of Mathematics" of the German Mathematical Society [4. Tagung der Fachsektion "Geschichte der Mathematik" der Deutschen Mathematiker-Vereinigung] Place: Staatliche Akademie fuer Lehrerfortbildung in Calw in the Northern Black Forest [Nordschwarzwald] Information: Prof. Dr. Michael von Renteln, Universitaet Karlsruhe, Mathematisches Institut I, Englerstr. 2, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Germany, Tel. 0721/608-3037 (-2056 Sekr.) ........................................................................... Expressions of thanks --------------------- In addition to the authors of contribution, we also wish to thank: Hayot Alain (Paris), Emmanuel Davoust (Toulouse), Otfried Lieberknecht (Berlin), Wilfried Schroeder (Bremen), Michael Toepell (Leipzig/Muenchen). ........................................................................... Imprint ------- Electronic Newsletter for the History of Astronomy (ENHA) Published by the Working Group for the History of Astronomy in the Astronomische Gesellschaft A translation of "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Editor: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick Translated by: Mr. Donald Bellunduno <76450.1741@compuserve.com> All items without an author's name are editorial contributions. Articles as well as information for the several sections are appreciated. Copyright Statement: The Electronic Newsletters for the History of Astronomy may be freely re-distributed in the case that no charge is imposed. Public offer in WWW servers, BBS etc. is allowed after the editor has been informed. Non-commercial reproduction of single items in electronic or printed media is permitted when the source is indicated clearly; the editor has to be informed. Subscription to EMA/ENHA is free. Subscribers and readers are asked for occasional donations to the working group. 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