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* *
* ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER FOR THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY *
* *
* Published by the Working Group for the History of Astronomy *
* in the Astronomische Gesellschaft *
* *
* Number 54, November 24, 2003 *
* *
* Edited by: Wolfgang R. Dick and Hilmar W. Duerbeck *
* *
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Contents
--------
1. Symposium on History of Meteorology
2. Seventh Oxford Conference on Archaeoastronomy
3. Symposium on Scientific Instrument Collections
4. Conference "Horoscopes and History"
5. Gamow Memorial Conference
6. Exhibition on Francois Arago in Paris
7. Commission for the History of Ancient and Medieval Astronomy
Acknowledgements
Imprint
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Item 1 ENHA No. 54, Nov. 24, 2003
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Symposium on History of Meteorology
-----------------------------------
The Presidential History Symposium, sponsored by the American
Meteorological Society and organized by the AMS History Committee, will be
held 13 January 2004, as part of the 84th Annual Meeting in Seattle,
Washington. Preliminary programs, registration, hotel, and general
information will be posted on the AMS Web site (http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS)
in mid-September 2003.
The 84th Annual Meeting is being organized around the broad theme of
"prediction." This past century, the overarching challenge to the
atmospheric and related sciences has been to predict weather and climate.
These sciences, perhaps more than any others, are tested on a daily basis
through the forecasting of the various elements of the Earth's environment.
Numerical weather prediction is widely regarded to be among the foremost
scientific accomplishments of the 20th century. Especially significant
advances have been made in atmospheric and oceanic forecasting of weather
and climate systems over the past 20 years.
Papers that broadly address historical issues of "prediction" in the
development of scientific theory and applications in the geophysical
sciences are solicited. Possible themes might include the role of patronage
in determining what gets predicted, how disciplinary communities determine
the predictability of an event or phenomena, how the public has viewed
scientific prediction, scientific controversies surrounding predictions,
and how predictions have affected the development of governmental policy.
Historians of science and scientists engaged in historical research are
strongly encouraged to submit a proposal. Abstracts are due no later than
1 August 2003. Please contact History Committee Chairperson:
Dr. Kristine Harper, 946 NW Circle Blvd., #306, Corvallis, OR 97330-1410,
USA. E-mail: kharper@proaxis.com.
[Text provided by Ron Doel.]
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Item 2 ENHA No. 54, Nov. 24, 2003
...........................................................................
Seventh Oxford Conference on Archaeoastronomy
---------------------------------------------
The Seventh Oxford Conference on Archaeoastronomy will be held in
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, June 20-27, 2004. The theme of the meeting is
"Bridging Anthropology and Astronomy". This is the latest in a series of
international conferences focused on the study of how peoples throughout
history and prehistory have been affected by astronomical phenomena, how
they have used these phenomena, and what role they played in their
cultures. Earlier meetings in this series were held at Oxford University
(UK) in 1981, Mexico (1986), Scotland (1990), Bulgaria (1993), Santa Fe
(USA) (1996), and Tenerife (Spain) (1999). Information about the meeting is
at .
[Source: Rolf Sinclair to History of Astronomy Discussion Group (HASTRO-L),
20 Oct 2003]
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Item 3 ENHA No. 54, Nov. 24, 2003
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Symposium on Scientific Instrument Collections
----------------------------------------------
Mundi subterranei - Scientific Instrument Collections in the University
An International Symposium at Dartmouth College, 24-27 June 2004
Co-sponsored by the Scientific Instrument Commission and Dartmouth College
The Dartmouth Collection of Historic Scientific Instruments dates from the
founding of the College in 1769. It mirrors the development of American
science in an academic setting, from the early days of the Republic through
the Cold War. There are surveying chains, orreries, telescopes and globes
from the first years of the College; American and European apparatus from
the early nineteenth century; apparatus from the purchasing trips of
Dartmouth professors throughout the nineteenth century; the astronomical
instruments of the Shattuck observatory (built in 1853) and of Charles
Young (1843-1908), who became a pioneer in the study of the solar spectrum.
The collection is strong in instruments from the early student
laboratories, teaching and research apparatus dating from the first few
decades of the new Wilder Laboratory (1900), and apparatus, rare and
common, from the period 1920-1980. The instruments are accompanied by a
large number of original boxes, pamplets, purchase receipts, lab notes,
correspondence and catalogues.
The Dartmouth collection is currently being reorganized and catalogued.
Although hundreds of universities and colleges have preserved historic
scientific apparatus, many of these collections remain less than fully
accessible and may even be virtually unknown outside of (and within) their
home institutions. Yet these collections, taken individually, provide
unique windows into the history of scientific research, pedagogy and
popularization. Taken collectively, they represent a vast resource for
research and teaching that is not duplicated in large national collections
of historic scientific instruments.
The purpose of the Dartmouth Conference is to stimulate creative thinking
about potential futures for these university collections. In particular, we
hope:
1. To encourage the development of a network among these collections and
their caretakers.
2. To provide a forum to discuss practical problems that pertain to such
collections, including acquisition, cataloguing and documentation, storage,
access, exhibitions, preservation, environmental safety, and security.
3. To explore ways to raise the profile of these collections on campus and
to enhance opportunities to use them for teaching and research.
4. To share scholarly information about scientific instruments at
universities, their histories and the collections in which they reside.
In addition to several invited panels and a keynote address, the conference
will feature contributed papers and posters. We invite proposals for paper
or posters on the following topics:
a. Practicalities of collection management, curatorial interpretation, and
the relationship of the holdings and their caretakers to other university
collections, departments, museums or administrative entities.
b. Uses for university instrument collections, such as undergraduate or
graduate teaching, research, online or onsite exhibitions, and celebration
of local heritage.
c. Histories of particular collections, collectors, or site-specific
instruments; and histories of instruments or scientific practice as
informed by the holdings of university collections considered collectively.
Parts of the Dartmouth Collection will be on display and the Shattuck
Observatory (1853) will be open.
Dartmouth is situated in semi-rural New Hampshire, readily accessible by
air or surface from Boston. For those who might wish to extend their stay,
the region provides many cultural, historic and outdoor activities. Early
summer weather can be very pleasant in New England!
We plan to have a day of optional field trips. In the morning we will visit
the American Precision Museum in Windsor, VT where we can inspect two
floors of precision machines. We hope to make special arrangement to visit
the stores, which are filled with additional machines. Of special interest
are several ruling engines.
We will then travel to Springfield, VT and lunch at the Hartness House. An
underground tunnel connects the Hartness House with the Hartness Turret
Telescope (refractor) which will be open for our inspection.
We are making arrangements to visit the restored Porter Turret Telescope
(reflector) located on a nearby hill. The building is large enough to
accommodate several people and the instrument is used in the daytime to
project the solar image.
Lodging will be made available in a Dartmouth College dormitory for a
nominal amount (c. USD45 per night). The Hanover Inn will provide
discounted rooms (c. USD85 per night).
Please continue to consult our website for additional information.
www.dartmouth.edu/~sicu , where also a detailed program is given.
The SICU Planning Committee
Francis Manasek (chair), Richard Kremer, David Pantalony, Sara Schechner
[Sources: David A. Pantalony to Rete Discussion Group, 10 June 2003;
www.dartmouth.edu/~sicu]
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Item 4 ENHA No. 54, Nov. 24, 2003
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Conference "Horoscopes and History"
-----------------------------------
(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 66,
22. November 2003, Item 5.)
The subdepartment History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents is
pleased to announce a conference entitled "Horoscopes and History" that
will take place at the University of Amsterdam from 26-28 July 2004. The
conference will bring together leading scholars in the history of
astrology, among them D. Blume, J.-P. Boudet, N. Campion, P. Curry, St.
Heilen, J. H. Holden, W. Huebner, R. Plantiko, P. Schiller, St. van den
Broecke, and R. Zoller. The conference is open to a wider public and the
organizers highly appreciate a broad reception.
In this conference, the general theme "Horoscopes and History" will be
approached from several perspectives:
"Horoscopes as historical sources" addresses the methodological question of
how the study of nativities can enrich historical research. Horoscopes can
be regarded as a highly specialized genre of historical narrative that
needs to be applied by historians in a different way than other source
material. How can horoscopes be scrutinized in order to understand and
reconstruct historical events?
Horoscopes as astronomical sources discusses the underlying astronomical
parameters of nativities. Any astrological interpretation relies on
astronomical data, from which certain techniques for predicting the
development of the native and future events have been derived. How can
these parameters be deduced and interpreted and how are they employed for
specific astrological techniques and calculations?
"Horoscopes as rhetoric device" considers the role of horoscopes in
political and public discourse. The publication of imperial nativities, the
use of horoscopes by representatives of higher social orders, or the public
debate about the horoscopes of religious leaders are significant elements
in claims of superiority over political and religious opponents.
"Horoscopes and biographical narrative" is closely related to the other
approaches but stresses the role of horoscopes for constructing coherent
and meaningful individual biographies. From the fifteenth through the
twentieth century nativities were used as powerful means for biographical
"emplotment" and the formation of identities.
Given the wide spectrum of source material, the conference is not limited
to one specific period in the history of Western culture. The aim is rather
to systematically explore the role of horoscopes in historical research and
to apply these methodological considerations to concrete case studies and
different contexts.
The conference fee will be EUR 20.00 to cover the costs for catering etc.
People who are interested in participating are kindly requested to contact
Kocku von Stuckrad.
Organizers:
Dr. phil. habil. Kocku von Stuckrad
University of Amsterdam,
History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents
Oude Turfmarkt 147
NL - 1012 GC Amsterdam
E-Mail: c.k.m.vonstuckrad@uva.nl
Dr. phil. habil. Guenther Oestmann
E-Mail: oestmann@nord-com.net
More information: www.amsterdamhermetica.com
[Text provided by Guenther Oestmann.]
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Item 5 ENHA No. 54, Nov. 24, 2003
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Gamow Memorial Conference
-------------------------
Astrophysics and Cosmology after Gamow - Theory and Observations
International Gamow Memorial Conference dedicated to the
100th anniversary of George Gamow
Odessa, Ukraine, August 8-14, 2004
ORGANIZERS:
Odessa National University, Department of Astronomy of the Odessa
National University, Ukrainian Astronomical Association, Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society, Odessa Astronomical Society, Russian Gravitational
Society
SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:
Chairman:
Professor G.S. Bisnovatyi-Kogan (Moscow, Russia)
Vice-chairmen:
Professor S.A. Silich (Puebla, Mexico - Kiev, Ukraine),
Professor A.I. Zhuk (Odessa, Ukraine)
Scientific committee members:
N.G. Bochkarev (Moscow, Russia), R. McCray (Boulder, Colorado, USA),
P.I. Fomin (Kiev, Ukraine), Pedro Gonzales-Diaz (Madrid, Spain),
J. Franco (Mexico), N.S. Kardashev (Moscow, Russia), A.A. Konovalenko
(Kharkov, Ukraine), R. Lovelace (Cornell University, USA), V.N. Melnikov
(Moscow, Russia), V.N. Rudenko (Moscow, Russia), J. Silk (Oxford, UK),
A.A. Starobinsky (Moscow, Russia), R. Terlevich (Puebla, Mexico),
J.C. Wheeler (Austin, Texas, USA), V.G. Zhotikov (Moscow, Russia)
Conference secretary: O.D. Toropina (Moscow, Russia)
GAMOW MEMORIAL COMMITTEE:
Chairman:
Rector of a Odessa National University, professor V.A. Smyntyna
Memorial committee members:
A.M. Cherepashchuk (Moskow, Russia), A.D. Chernin (Moscow, Russia ), J.
Einasto, (Tartu, Estonia), I.R. Gamow (Colorado University, USA), V.G.
Karetnikov (Odessa, Ukraine), V.N. Obridko (Moscow, Russia), J. Palous
(Prague, Czech. Republic), I.B. Pustylnik (Tartu, Estonia), M.I. Ryabov
(Odessa, Ukraine), V. Trimble (IAU), M. Valtonen (Turku, Finland), I.A.
Vakarchuk (Lviv, Ukraine), Ya.C. Yatskiv (Kiev, Ukraine)
INVITED SPEAKERS:
V.A. Belinski (Italy - Russia), V.S. Beskin (Russia), S. Blinnikov
(Russia), V.M. Chechetkin (Russia), M. Demianski * (Poland), A.D. Dolgov
(Italy - Russia), V.P. Frolov (Canada - Russia), D.V. Galtsov (Russia),
M.Yu. Khlopov (Russia), I. Khriplovich (Russia), C. Kiefer (Germany),
T. Lozinskaya (Russia), S. Moiseenko (Russia), I.D. Novikov * (Denmark -
Russia), R. Ruffini (Italy), A. Silbergleit * (Stanford, USA),
M. Shapiro, J. Soda (Japan), D.G. Yakovlev (Russia).
* - to be confirmed
CONFERENCE SESSION:
1. Memorial meeting (Convener - A. Chernin)
2. Cosmology and Gravitation (Convener - A. Zhuk)
3. Large-Scale Structure of the Universe (Convener - V. Lukash)
4. Gravitational Lenses in the Universe (Convener - M. Sazhin)
5. Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Observations and Acretion Theory
(Convener - M. Prokhorov)
6. Nucleosynthesis in Stars, Starbursts and Interstellar Medium
(Convener - N. Bochkarev)
7. High Energy Astrophysics (Convener - B. Hnatyk)
Please send title and abstract of your talks to the convener of the
session where you would like to present your talk (by Email - addresses see
on conference web site). The choice between the oral talk and poster will
be done by the convener, where your wishes will be taken into account as
far as possible.
SUPPORT OF THE CONFERENCE:
Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Scienses, European INTAS Fund,
UNESCO, International Astronomical Union, European Astronomical Society,
American Astronomical Society, American Physical Society
REGISTRATION FEE:
- participant registered before March 1, 2004: 240 USD
- participant registered after March 1, 2004: 280 USD
For Eastern European Countries:
- participant registered before March 1, 2004: 120 USD
- participant registered after March 1, 2004: 160 USD
For NIS Countries:
- participant registered before March 1, 2004: 25 USD
- participant registered after March 1, 2004: 35 USD
The conference fee includes Proceedings, coffee breaks, ...
Payment is possible on a bank account or by cash upon arrival.
More information and registration form:
http://www.iki.rssi.ru/gmic100/
Other Gamow memorial events:
- Gamow's days at Odessa State University, St. Petersburg State University,
Colorado University and Physicotechnical Institute Russion Academy of
Sciences (March 2004)
- Establishment of a memorable medal in Odessa State University (March
2004)
- Gamow memorial plate mounting (March 2004)
- Establishment of the Gamow Center and Planetarium at Odessa State
University
[Sources: http://www.iki.rssi.ru/gmic100/english/first.htm;
http://www.iki.rssi.ru/gmic100/english/project.htm]
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Item 6 ENHA No. 54, Nov. 24, 2003
...........................................................................
Exhibition on Francois Arago in Paris
-------------------------------------
(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 66,
22. November 2003, Item 1.)
"Francois Arago et l'Observatoire de Paris"
Exhibition from October 4 to December 6, 2003
at Paris Observatory
Paris Observatory opens its gates between October 4 to December 6, 2003 to
present an exposition dedicated to Francois Arago, astronomer and
politician, whose 150th anniversary of death is remembered this year.
Francois Arago (1786 - 1853) was an important figure of the scientific and
political life in the first half of the 19th century. Paris Observatory,
which he joined in 1805 and where he died in 1853, is the center of his
intense and many-sided activity. The observatory owns an abundant estate
which is unknown to the general public, and has thus arranged an exhibition
to pay tribute to this unusual personality. The exhibition permits to
rediscover his scientific and political adventures by means of manuscripts,
instruments and vestiges, and the lecture hall where he gave his famous
"Course in popular astronomy". Each visitor can feel the impression which
has been imprinted into the walls of the Observatory and into the memory of
Paris by one of its famous directors who was also briefly president.
The exhibition is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays
and Sundays between 2 and 6 p.m.
Batiment Perrault, 61, avenue de l'Observatoire,
75014 Paris, France
Admission fee: 4.50 EUR
[adopted from:
http://www.obspm.fr/actual/nouvelle/oct03/Expo-Arago.fr.shtml]
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Item 7 ENHA No. 54, Nov. 24, 2003
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Commission for the History of Ancient and Medieval Astronomy
------------------------------------------------------------
The 21st International Congress of History of Science (ICHS) was held in
Mexico, July 8-14, 2001. The Congress was sponsored by the International
Union of History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS), which in turn is
adhered to UNESCO through the International Scientific Union (ICSU).
ICHS is held every fourth year. The next Congress will be held in China
in 2005. As a matter of fact, ICHS is organised with the help of a large
number of symposia and meetings of its scientific sections. At the 21st
Congress, 67 symposia were organised, 28 sectional meetings and 4
special sessions. More than 1000 historian of science contributed in the
Mexico Congress.
The international community of historians of science can not become
individually members of the IUHPS. Its constitution allows only
countries (through national committees) and history of science
associations/academies as members. At present, 49 countries adhere to
it. For the individual historians of science, there are a number of
historical commissions, that are a sort of working-groups of specialised
research fields, and the members of which interact among themselves.
For instance, there are 11 historical commissions before the Mexico
Congress. At the General Assembly (GA) of IUHPS (i.e. the business
meetings of the Executive Council and General Body of IUHPS), which is
held at each ICHS, the presidents of the Historical Commissions are also
elected, besides the election of the Executive Council. Proposals of new
commissions are also approved at GA. At the 21st ICHS in Mexico two new
commissions were created, namely, "Commission for the History of Ancient
and Medieval Astronomy" (President, S.M. Razaullah Ansari, Aligarh
/India), and "Commission for the History of Science and Cultural
Diversity" (President, Paulus Gerdes, Mozambique).
The proposal for the creation of the Commission for the History of
Ancient and Medieval Astronomy (CHAMA) was moved by Prof. S.M.R. Ansari
(Aligarh/India). He stated the rationale underlying the proposal of this
commission as follows:
"The main aim and objective of this Commission is to bring under its
purview research in the astronomical heritage of all cultural areas of
the world. This idea is in consonance with the theme of this 21st
Congress, namely, Science and Cultural Diversity. As historians of
science, we know that astronomy was the most significant science during
the ancient and medieval period. The majority of the world historians of
astronomy are expert not only of astronomy, but they are also scholars
of classical languages: Chinese, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Arabic
and Persian etc., in the sources of which enormous amount of
astronomical data is locked in. For these historians of astronomy
particularly a forum is required, so that its members could interact
among themselves, and acquaint themselves particularly with the
work-in-progress of their colleagues. To achieve this end, this
Commission is proposed."
The Commission wishes to organise under its auspices a Symposium at the
22nd ICHS (China), in 2005. Further it publishes a Newsletter,
under the Editorship of Prof. Ansari, and Ms. Anne Tihon, the Secretary
of the Commission, who is a well-known historian of Greek astronomy. The
Newsletter will be published in electronic version as well as printed
publication.
The Commission requests all historians of astronomy, particularly of
ancient and medieval period, to register themselves and to send the
President / Secretary information regarding their work-in-progress,
publications and news items for the Newsletter. For contact, e-mail
addresses are: Raza.Ansari@gmx.net, Raza.Ansari@vsnl.com, and
tihon@ori.ucl.ac.be.
Postal addresses:
President:
Prof. S.M. Razaullah Ansari, Roshan Villa, Muzammil Manzil Compound,
Dodhpur, Aligarh 20002, India, Tel. +91-571-703952, fax: 400466
Secretary:
Anne Tihon, Universite Catholique de Louvain, 28 rue Ferme du Coq,
Court-St-Etienne, 1490, Belgium
Website of CHAMA: http://chama.fltr.ucl.ac.be/
[Based on text provided by S.M. Razaullah Ansari and Anne Tihon,
also printed in more extended form in Journal of Astronomical History and
Heritage 5, 2002, p. 102]
...........................................................................
Acknowledgements
----------------
For directly sending us information we thank S.M. Razaullah Ansari,
Guenther Oestmann, Ron Doel, and Anne Tihon.
...........................................................................
Imprint
-------
Electronic Newsletter for the History of Astronomy (ENHA)
Published by the Working Group for the History of Astronomy in the
Astronomische Gesellschaft
Editors: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick and Dr. Hilmar
W. Duerbeck
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