Biennial History of Astronomy Workshop - ND XVI June 11-14, 2025
Program
Notes:
- The printed schedule you receive when you arrive on campus will be the definitive schedule.
- All campus sessions will take place in McKenna Hall, room B01 (map) (McKenna Hall basement layout).
- Refreshments will be available before the start of each day in McKenna and, of course, during breaks.
| Wednesday, June 11 | Workshop Opens |
| 7:00 pm | Public lecture, location: McKenna Auditorium (map) Speaker: Matteo Valleriani, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (Bio) Talk title: The Knowledge Economy of Geocentric Astronomy from the Thirteenth to the Seventeenth Century (abstract) |
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| A reception will follow Dr. Valleriani's talk in the McKenna Gallery. |
| Thursday, June 12 | Workshop continues in McKenna Hall, room B01 |
| 9:00 - 9:30 am | Welcome and introductions |
| 9:30 - 10:20 am | Paper Session Chair: Mahmoud Jalloh, St. John’s College “Training Astronomers, Teaching the Public: Making and Circulating Sundial Templates in Late Imperial China,” Christopher DeCou, University of Michigan (abstract) “Seeing a New Sun: Refining Visual Practice in Nineteenth-century Solar Studies,” Sarah Reynolds, University of Indianapolis (abstract) |
| 10:20 - 10:45 am | Break and poster papers Poster: “Astronomical Photographic Plates: More than a Century of Service,” Jennifer Lynn Bartlett, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard and Smithsonian; Sharon Hunt, NOIRLab; Elizabeth Griffin, Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre; Wayne Osborn, Yerkes Observatory; Stephen Levine, Lowell Observatory (abstract) Poster: “100 Years of Astronomy at Universidad de Guadalajara, México,” Durruty Jesus de Alba Martinez, Universidad de Guadalajara (NB: poster papers will be on display throughout the workshop) |
| 10:45 - 11:45 am | Starring the Earth: Science, Our Planet, and the Plurality of Worlds Organizer: Chris Graney, Vatican Observatory Participants: Dennis R. Danielson; Steven J. Dick, Former NASA Chief Historian; Pavel (Paul) Gabor, S.J.; alternate (remotely, from Rome): Guy Consolmagno, S.J. (abstract) |
| 11:45 am - Noon | group photo (McKenna Hall) |
| Noon - 1:30 pm | lunch |
| 1:30 - 2:45 pm | Paper Session Chair: Matt Dowd, University of Notre Dame Press “Numbers as Variables in Babylonian Mathematical Astronomy,” Erica L. Meszaros, Brown University (abstract) “The Earliest Lunar Model of Albertus Magnus,” Betsey Price, York University (abstract) “The Toledan Tables at Brown University: The Case of Ms. Gerardus ca.1130,” Johanna Garzon, Brown University (abstract) |
| 2:45 - 3:15 pm | Break |
| 3:15 - 4:55 pm | Paper Session Chair: Matteo Valleriani, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science “Air Force Origins of Scientific Instruments and Space Technology for Visualizing the Cosmic Microwave Background,” Connemara Doran, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Air Force Research Laboratory (abstract) “Digital Stars as Seen through Their Software Artifacts,” Dana A. Freiburger, independent scholar (abstract) “Visualization Practices in Soviet Radio Astronomy’s Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI),” Gabriela Radulescu, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (abstract) “Toward a Unified History and Philosophy of Astronomy,” Steven J. Dick, Former NASA Chief Historian (abstract) |
| 7:30 pm | Reception at the home of Matt & Amy Dowd, 17890 Drury Lane Ct., Granger, IN 46530 (map) |
| Friday, June 13 | Workshop continues with visit to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago |
| 8:00 am | Bus departs from McKenna Hall for the Adler Planetarium |
| 9:00 am CDT | Bus arrives at Adler Planetarium in Chicago (perhaps a group photo) |
| 9:15 - 9:30 am CDT | Welcome remarks from the Adler VP of Museum Experience and Collections |
| 9:30 - 10:20 am CDT | Paper Session Chair: Betsey Price, York University “Sacrobosco Finds ‘Ynglysche’: The Four Translations, Their Authors, Their Sources, and Their Visual Features,” Jamie Brannon, independent scholar (abstract) “The Extended Life of the Early Modern Volvelle,” Molly C. Laumakis, independent scholar (abstract) |
| 10:20 - 10:40 am CDT | break and collections viewing |
| 10:40 - 11:30 am CDT | Paper Session chair: Michael Korey, Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon (Dresden State Art Collections) “From Dorpat to Yerkes: Visual Record of the Influence of the Fraunhofer’s Refractor on Nineteenth-century U.S. Telescope Design; Some Starter Thoughts,” Trudy E. Bell, independent scholar (abstract) “Removing’ Telescopic Colors: Making and Marketing Achromatic Lenses,” Marvin Bolt, Bibliotheca Hertziana—Max Planck Institue for Art History (abstract) |
| 11:30 - 12:45 pm CDT | Lunch (location tba) |
| 12:45 – 2:30 pm CDT | Museum Exploration + Sky Show |
| 2:30 – 4:00 pm CDT | The Space of Knowledge: Technologies of Transmission at the Adler Planetarium Organizer: Katie Boyce-Jacino, Adler Planetarium Participants: Jane Kanter, Adler Planetarium; Orilla Fetro, Adler Planetarium; Charissa Sedor, Adler Planetarium; (abstract) |
| 4:00 – 5:30 pm CDT | Reception (location tba) |
| 5:30 – 6:00 pm CDT | Loading and departure via bus to Notre Dame |
| 9:00 pm EDT | Bus arrives back to Notre Dame |
| Saturday, June 14 | Workshop continues in McKenna Hall, room B01 |
| 9:00 - 10:30 am | Capturing the Stars: Visual and Digital Approaches to the History of Astronomy and Astrophysics Organizer: Molly C. Laumakis, University of Chicago Participants: Richard Kron, University of Chicago; Andrea Twiss-Brooks, University of Chicago Library; Daniel Babnigg, University of Chicago (abstract) |
| 10:30 - 10:45 am | Break |
| 10:45 am - Noon | Paper Session Chair: Chris Graney, Vatican Observatory “Producing and Transmitting Knowledge through Observational Logbooks at Mount Wilson Observatory,” Eun-Joo Ahn, Yale University (abstract) “Images, Advocacy, and the Making of Space Astronomy,” Robert Smith, University of Alberta (abstract) |
| Noon - 1:30 pm | Lunch |
| 1:30 - 2:20 pm | Paper Session Chair: Eun-Joo Ahn, Yale University “Astronomical Lantern Lecturing as a Political Strategy in Australian Observatories in the Early Twentieth Century,” Ian Tasker, University of Melbourne (abstract) (recording) “From the Laboratory to the Moon,” David DeVorkin, National Air and Space Museum (emeritus) (abstract) (recording) |
| 2:20 - 2:30 pm | Break |
| 2:30 - 3:20 pm | Paper Session Chair: Jamie Brannon, independent scholar “Geared Anomalies: The Digital Re-animation of a War-Damaged Renaissance Equatorium,” Michael Korey, Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon (Dresden State Art Collections) (abstract) |
| 3:20 - 3:40 pm | Break |
| 3:40 - 4:55 pm | Paper Session Chair: Steven J. Dick, Former NASA Chief Historian “Robert H. Baker: The Illustration of Astronomy,” Rudi Paul Lindner, University of Michigan (abstract). Read by Matt Dowd in Linder's absence. “Hubble and Huxley: Hollywood Stars and Empiricists,” Mahmoud Jalloh, St. John’s College (abstract) |
| 6:30 - 9:00 pm | Workshop banquet and after-dinner keynote, McKenna Hall, rooms 205-207 (map) Matteo Valleriani, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science “Exploring the Computational History of Astronomy” (abstract) Business Meeting Chair: Matthew F. Dowd, University of Notre Dame Press |
Acknowledgments: Generous support for the workshop is provided by the Graduate Program in the History and Philosophy of Science, the John J. Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values, the Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts (ISLA), the College of Science, the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the Program of Liberal Studies, and the Medieval Institute of the University of Notre Dame, and the Adler Planetarium.