various astronomy-related historical images

Biennial History of Astronomy Workshop - ND VIII July 25 – 29, 2007

Final Program

Wednesday, July 25 Workshop Opens
7:00 - 8:00 pm Public Lecture. Location: Digital Visualization Center, Jordan Hall of Science
Title: “Getting the Most Out of Your Telescope in the 17th Century”
Albert van Helden, Institute for the History and Foundations of Science, University of Utrecht
8:00 - 9:30 pm Welcoming Reception. Location: Main Hall, Jordan Hall of Science
Thursday, July 26 Field trip to the Adler Planetarium
8:45 am (EDT) Bus boarding for the Adler Planetarium begins at McKenna Hall
9:00 am Departure from Notre Dame
10:00 am (CDT) Arrive in Chicago at the Adler Planetarium
10:00 - 11:30 am Divide into 3 groups and rotate through three half-hour tours:
1. Tour of Webster Institute
2. Tour of Exhibit Galleries
3. Free Time
11:30 am - Noon Group Photo on the front steps, weather permitting
Noon - 1:00 pm Lunch at Galileo’s Cafe
1:00 - 2:30 pm Session: Instruments, Location: Universe Theater

1. “Telling Time in 10th-Century Baghdad: A New Instrument for Solar Timekeeping Comes to Light, ”Glen Van Brummelen, Quest University

2. “Replicas of Galileo’s Telescopes, Most Precise to Date, Symbols for the Processes of Science, ”Jim and Rhoda Morris, Independent Scholars

3. “Tracking Down the World’s Earliest Telescopes,” Marv Bolt, Adler Planetarium
2:30 - 2:45 pm Break
2:45 - 3:45 pm Workshop I: Astrolabes, Location: Universe Theater
Owen Gingerich, Harvard University
3:45 - 4:10 pm Intermission to view Astrolabe Gallery
4:20 - 5:20 pm Workshop II: Horoscopes, Location: Universe Theater
Owen Gingerich, Harvard University
5:30 - 6:30 pm Dinner at Galileo’s Cafe
6:30 - 7:00 pm Board bus to return to Notre Dame
10:00 pm (EDT) Arrive at McKenna Hall
Friday, July 27 McKenna Hall
9:00 - 9:30 am Introductions
9:30 - 10:30 am Session: Ancients (Part I), Organizer and Chair: Dennis Duke, Florida State University

“Nesting Spheres in Ptolemy’s Planetary Hypothesis,” Elizabeth Burns, University of Toronto

“The Coincidence of the Results of Ptolemy’s Earth-Sun Distance Calculations: Intentional or by Chance?,” Christián Carman, CONICET-UNQ
10:30 - 11:00 am Break
Poster Papers available for viewing (on display throughout the workshop)

“‘Clyde Tombaugh and the Discovery of Pluto’ at Twenty,” Thomas Hockey, Univ. of Northern Iowa

“A Worksheet for Newton’s De Systemate Mundi (1685),” J.A. Ruffner, Independent Scholar

“The Discovery of Jupiter’s Radio Emission and the IGY: Teaching Astronomical Science and History in Non-Traditional Settings,” Leonard Garcia, Perot Systems/NASA/GSFC; James Thieman, NASA/GSFC; Shing Fung, NASA/GSFC; Jay Friedlander, Perot Systems/NASA/GSFC

“Galileo Telescope Replicas and Further Information on their Construction,” Jim and Rhoda Morris, Independent Scholars

“John M. Pierce’s HobbyGrafs,” Thomas Williams, Independent Scholar
11:00 am - Noon Session: Ancients (Part II), Organizer and Chair: Dennis Duke, Florida State University

“The History of the Second Lunar Anomaly,” Dennis Duke, Florida State University

“The Mystery of the Thlippery Lithosphere,” Paul Mills, Utah Valley State College
Noon - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 pm Work-in-Progress Papers: Historical Figures in Astronomy, Chair: Teasel Muir-Harmony, University of Notre Dame

“Geometry of Light and Shadow: Francesco Maurolyco (1490-1575) and the Pinhole Camera,” Yaakov Zik and Giora Han, University of Haifa

“James Gregory: A Mathematician Contemplates the Telescope,” Peter Abrahams, Independent Scholar

“‘Personal Discomfort and Great Purity of Atmosphere’: Samuel Pierpont Langley’s 1878 Solar Eclipse Expedition to Pikes Peak,” Steve Ruskin, Independent Scholar
3:00 - 3:30 pm Break
3:30 - 5:00 pm Work-in-Progress Papers: Instruments, Chair: Matt Dowd, University of Notre Dame Press

“History and Optics of the James Short Telescopes of the Marseille Observatory,” James Caplan, Observatoire Astronomique Marseille-Provence

“The 13-inch Refractor of Lewis M. Rutherfurd,” John W. Briggs, Clay Science Center

“Geodesy, the Markowitz Moon Camera, and the IGY,” Steven J. Dick, NASA
7:30 pm Party at Marv Bolt’s home
Note: Map will be provided in conference packet
25690 Cleveland Road, South Bend, Indiana 46628
Saturday, July 28 McKenna Hall
8:30 - 10:00 am Session: Amateurs and Telescopes, Chair: John W. Briggs, Clay Science Center, Organizer: Craig Waff, Air Force Research Laboratory

“Nineteenth-Century U.S. Private Observatories: A Progress Report,” Trudy E. Bell, Science journalist and Independent Scholar

“A Telescope-Owning Community Grows in Brooklyn,” Craig Waff, Air Force Research Laboratory

“The First Team in Amateur Telescope Making,” Thomas Williams, Independent Scholar
10:00 - 10:30 am Break
10:30 am - Noon Session: ETs, Chair: Christina Turner, University of Notre Dame, Organizer: Michael J. Crowe, University of Notre Dame

“‘Nature’ and ‘Whether’ in the ETI Discourse,” Mark Sheridan, Drew University

“The Evolution of Extraterrestrials: Life Beyond Earth and the Synthetic Theory of Natural Selection,” Douglas A. Vakoch, SETI Institute and California Institute of Integral Studies

“The Post-1960 History of the Other Side in the Extraterrestrial Life Debate,” Michael J. Crowe, University of Notre Dame
Noon - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 pm Work-in-Progress Papers: Religion, Chair: Steve Ruskin, Independent Scholar

“Astronomical Ages and Genesis: Starlight Transit Time and Its Theological Reception,” J. Brian Pitts, University of Notre Dame

“Father William Rigge, S.J. – Astronomer, Educator, and Priest,” Denver Applehans, University of Nebraska at Omaha

“I May Assure You That He Is Not A Hebrew,” Rudi Paul Lindner, University of Michigan
3:00 - 3:30 pm Break
3:30 - 5:00 pm Work-in-Progress Papers: Institutions, Chair: Matt Dowd, University of Notre Dame Press

“Telescopes in Guadalajara, México: From the 1882 Transit of Venus to the 1905 Solar Observations,” Durruty Jesús de Alba Martinez and Laura Catalina Arreola Ochoa, Universidad de Guadalajara

“A Coup d’État in French Astronomy: The Foundation of the Astrophysical Service, 1936-1940,” Arnaud Saint-Martin, Sorbonne University

“Astronomy in Nineteenth-Century American Catholic Higher Education,” Dana A. Freiburger, University of Wisconsin, Madison
5:00 - 6:00 pm Free Time
6:00 pm Reception (Cash Bar), Location: Morris Inn
6:30 pm Banquet, Location: Morris Inn
Welcoming Remarks
Invited Speaker Lecture

“Reinventing the Invention: The New Prehistory of the Telescope”
Albert van Helden, Institute for the History and Foundations of Science, University of Utrecht
Evening Tour of University of Notre Dame Observatory in Jordan Science Hall (optional)
Sunday, July 29 McKenna Hall
9:00 - 10:30 am Roundtable
“The State of the Profession: An Open Forum”
Moderator, David DeVorkin, Smithsonian Institution
10:30 - 11:00 am Break
11:00 am - Noon Business Meeting
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