The Rambling Astronomer

Edward Piggot one  of the Fathers of Variable Star Astronomy was the first person to discover a comet in Yorkshire on Novmeber 19th 1783

He was one of Australia's most important astronomers. Although an amateur astonomer John Tebbutt was respected by astronomers both professional and and amateur in Australia in the 19th century.

The story of how plantation slaves in the southern states of America escaped to the north and Canada by using their knowledge of the stars and the plough in particular  to navigate their way to safety.

One of the early pioneers of astronomical spectroscopy.

The first astronomer to photograph a star.

Join me, Martin Lunn MBE tonight and every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country.   I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.  

 The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM .

Sirius the Dog Star, the brightest star in the night sky, it looks white in colour today, but was it ever red in colour. There are lots of old report that suggest that it might have been. So what was going on?

This eclipse which was believed by Edmund Halley to have been total in London, it wasn't , was seen by many people as the path of totality cut across the midlands and the home counties

Another unknown British astronomer, he came from Cockermouth in Cumbria the birthplace of William Wordsworth. He would have a short life due to ill health, this is a brief outline of the work he undertook in South Africa

Charles Burckhalter was an amateur astronomer who in the 19th century who promoted astronomy to the general public as well as encouraging co operation between amateur and professional astronomers. He was the first secretary of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.