The story behind the Harvard College Observatory

Guest Speaker

Thursday, 28th March 2024 (19:45 - 22:00)

Venue: The J.A. Jones Hoober Observatory

Without the College, there would have been no Observatory. The presentation covers the conception of the college in 1636 and the gradual introduction of Astronomy as a subject taught there. This ultimately led to the appointment of the first astronomical Observer and then to the building of the Harvard College observatory with a little help from a future president of the USA

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Speaker: Trevor Worrall

Since my school days, astronomy has piqued my attention. A 60mm refractor was my very first telescope. I remember the first foggy views of Saturn with a barlow lens and perhaps a 6mm eyepiece; Saturn certainly moved quickly across that field of vision. And of course, a wood manual mount bought from the long-since closed Dixons company. In those early days, there was only one TV programme dedicated to astronomy, and I can still recall binge-watching all the Sky at Night episodes I could stay up for. Time travel to the future, Sylvia and I were seeking for a good location to see a meteor shower when we stumbled upon the Hoober stand and the J. A. Jones Observatory. After only one phone chat with our chairman Les, I was completely hooked! I had a brief term as an observation officer, which I really enjoyed, and I loved the public outreach activities even more.

Learn more about Trevor Worrall