Entries by Tony Symes

Friday 4th October 2024 The Discovery of Gravitational Waves

Professor Mike Cruise The image is an artist’s impression of gravitational waves generated by binary neutron stars.Credit: R. Hurt/Caltech-JPL In 1916 Albert Einstein predicted that his new theory of gravitation, now called General Relativity, included wave modes which could propagate in vacuum a little like electromagnetism. These modes- the “gravitational” waves- were predicted by Einstein […]

Thursday 21st November 2024 An Astronomical Adventure Story

From the Discovery of Uranus to the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland Professor Michael Burton, Director of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium The image is a sketch of M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse in 1845. William Herschel’s discovery of Uranus in 1781– the first new planet found by humanity since […]

Friday 6th December 2024 New Results from Gaia

Crystallising white dwarfs, spinning minor planets, and our Galaxy’s dark matter halo Professor Michael Perryman The image shows the integration of the M1 primary mirror on the torus of the Gaia spacecraft © EADS Astrium SAS, France Science populariser Ethan Siegel has described the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission as “One of the most remarkable […]

Saturday 8th June 2024 All-day Conference: John Herschel – the Last Polymath

Join us for a packed day of talks exploring the life and work of Victorian polymath, Sir John Herschel. Sir John Herschel (1792-1871), son of the astronomer William Herschel and nephew to Caroline Herschel, was the most influential natural philosopher of the Victorian period. His long career encompassed astronomy, mathematics, physics, geology, chemistry, as well […]

Friday 3rd May 2024 Jantar Mantar

Richard Cox and Professor Mike Edmunds Image credit: Richard Cox Jantar Mantar translated means Instrument Calculation which refers to the functions of the instruments for astronomical measurements documenting the heavens based upon the principles of Galileo. The Jaipur site, the largest of the four existing Jantar Mantars has 18 instruments. This site was created in […]

Wednesday 3rd April 2024 Introduction to John Herschel

Dr Emily Winterburn Wednesday 3rd April 2024 7.30 pm in the BRLSI, can be attended either in the BRLSI or remotely on Zoom Meet John Herschel,  much less famous today than either his father or his aunt yet in his day he represented the very definition of what a scientist should be.  In 1824, as the […]

Friday 1st December 2023 Space debris

Hazards, Situational awareness and responsible use of space Dr Philippe Blondel Friday 1st December 2023 7.30 pm in the BRLSI, can be attended either in the BRLSI or remotely on Zoom Lecture 4 of 4 on the theme ‘Conserving the Planet’ in association with the Herschel Museum of Astronomy Image shows the distribution of space […]