Date:

Monday 10 March 2008

Time:

3.00pm

Location:

Building B1 (Library), Room B1.013, JCU Smithfield campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, CAIRNS

Summary:

Over the last thirty years or so I have been researching the history of astronomy, with emphasis mainly on Australia, New Zealand, France and the Pacific. Instead of focusing on two or three specialised fields within history of astronomy – as most of my colleagues do – I choose to investigate a variety of topics. Of particular interest are:

• Applied historical astronomy

• Astronomy associated with Cook’s three voyages to the South Seas

• Cometary astronomy in Australia and New Zealand

• Early radio astronomy in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France and the USA

• Historically-significant telescopes in Australia, New Zealand, Britain and the USA

• Nineteenth century amateur-professional relations in Australia

• Solar eclipses and the emergence of solar physics in the nineteenth century

• The 1769, 1874 and 1882 transits of Venus

• Traditional Maori astronomical systems and beliefs.

In this seminar I will briefly highlight some of the research projects I have been involved in over the past eight years, discuss the various thesis topics pursued by my doctoral students and display recent issues of our astronomy journal.

Speaker:

Wayne Orchiston

Centre for Astronomy, School of Mathematics, Physics and Information Technology,

James Cook University

Presented by:

Faculty of Science, Engineering and Information Technology

Contact:

Everyone welcome. For further information, please contact Sue Kelly, Tel: (07) 4042 1456 or E-mail: susan.kelly@jcu.edu.au