Events at Herschel Museum
The Astronomers’ House
Friday 1st April – 12th December 2010
I will make such telescopes and see such things, wrote William Herschel to his sister Caroline – and he did. Neville Maskelyne the Astronomer Royal, Joseph Banks President of the Royal Society and Sir William Watson were astonished at the clarity and definition of the homemade telescopes created by Herschel, the musician of Bath, in the tiny workshop off the kitchen of his home in New King Street, Bath.
A special exhibition at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy this year celebrates the amazing work of William Herschel and his sister Caroline during their years living in Bath making extraordinary telescopes and setting new standards in observation.
William caused hilarity when he claimed to have seen forests and cities on the moon, but just a few years later when he discovered the planet Uranus the Royal Society and the scientific community throughout Europe were forced to acknowledge that he had indeed as he claimed looked further into space than any other human being did before him.
The exhibition also takes a closer look at daily life in the eighteenth century for people of the middling classes living in these modest town houses in New King Street. It examines the construction, decoration and furnishing of the houses, the gardens, and aspects of domestic life from cooking and cleaning to shopping.
The year-long project which is supported by the Royal Society as part of their 350 years anniversary celebrations also includes lectures, Star Parties or Observation sessions which will be free and open to everyone, and a range of educational workshops for schools.
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Astronomical Quizzes
Want to have fun and check your knowledge of astronomy? Check out our on-line quizzes throughout the year on www.bptlearning.org.uk The answers will be up on the website the following week.
Astronomical Star Parties
Free to Everyone In collaboration with the Wiltshire Astronomical Society and supported by Bath & North East Somerset Council Heritage Services