The Hidden Secret of Starlight

Join us for a very interesting 45 minute presentation by Richard Westwood.

Without spectroscopy we would know very little about the Universe we live in: in fact, it is at the forefront of the science today; with the JWST, in its task of revealing the very dawn of the Universe.

Our discovery of spectroscopy is a fascinating human tale, of experiment, theory, persistence and interesting characters: particularly the group of talented ladies who, by studying glass plates, gave us the stellar spectral sequence we use today

This presentation reveals the characters involved and how we learned to interpret these curious ‘lines’ in the spectrum, we see their triumphs and struggles – and sense of humour, as they carried out this painstaking work.

This talk also commemorates the bi-centennial of one of these pioneers – Sir William Huggins, a silk merchants son, who, as an amateur astronomer, became one of the leading experts in this field in the 1870’s. His observatory at Tulse Hill, south London, housed an 8-inch refractor, which he devoted to spectroscopy.

He was President of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1876-1878.

We look forward to seeing you.