Historical Section Newsletter – “Lockdown edition” Late Spring 2020

Hi all,

We’ve produced a special “lockdown edition” of the Historical Section newsletter, which can be downloaded from https://britastro.org/downloads/12387 (you’ll have to sign in to access this). Contact us if you want to be added to the historical section mailing list.

Contents:

Bill Barton has written about two women pioneers from the early years of the BAA. The first five female fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society, in January 1916, were all BAA members. Mary Blagg, Fiammetta Wilson and Grace Cook are quite well-known, but the other two, Ella Catherine Church and Irene Elizabeth Toye Warner are relatively unknown. Bill redresses the balance!

In the Spring 2020 newsletter, Mike Frost wrote an article, When the Dust Settles, about the impact of the 1919 eclipse expedition which verified the predictions of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. In this edition, Christopher Taylor responds with Einstein, Eddington and the 1919 eclipse, a fascinating read.

Paul Kiernan, of the National Museums, writes about Liverpool’s very own planetarium 1970-2020: 50 Years of Star Gazing – With the Roof On! Thanks to Gerard Gilligan for suggesting we run this article.

Alan Thomas has contributed several scans from the Ottway Telescope catalogue from the 1970s, which should induce nostalgic memories amongst many of our readers!

… and finally, we have a conundrum for you (based on a suggestion from Tony Kinder)

Only two people have won both a Nobel Prize and an Oscar. Who were they – and which one of them was a BAA member? [NO SPOILERS PLEASE!]

Give up? Read the newsletter!

                                                                                Mike Frost – Historical Section Director

                                                                                Bill Barton – Deputy Director and Newsletter Editor