The Rambling Astronomer

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.

One of the most imporatnt women astronomers at Harvard in the USA in the late 19th century. Williamina Fleming's job title was a computer. This was a title given to women who examind the photographic glass plates that were taken at the time.

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...

Tycho Brahe was the last of the great pre telescopic astronomers. Amongst the many things he did was to observe the supernova of 1572. This is a little look at his story

If you think of Haworth, you naturally think of the Bronte sisters, and Wuthering Heights, possibly the steam engines going through Haworth Station, and all the film crews there for numerous films and shows. But would you associate Haworth as a moon landing site. Well NASA certainly is.

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 A-Z of Constellations. The Astronomy Show ever...

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 A-Z of Constellations   The Astronomy Show eve...

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 A-Z of Constellations.  The Astronomy Show eve...

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 A-Z of Constellations..    The Astronomy Show...

Another Thomas Cooke telescope that was owned by a vicar and although used for some educational work got caught up in local politics. It had a very sad ending for the telescope.

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 A-Z of Constellations.    The Astronomy Show e...

Another vicar from the 19th century who was interested in astronomy. He was ordained by the Bishop of Manchester in 1850. Between 1851- 1856 he would  move over to Yorkshire where he would have a curacy in Hull. He would then move back to what was then Lancashire to the village of Castleton where he would spend the rest of his days. Castleton is near  to Rochdale.

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 A-Z of Constellations    The Astronomy Show ev...

A Yorkshireman Arthur Bennett was borm in Goole in the East Riding as an astronomer he would spent much of his time observing the Sun, using of course a Thomas Cooke telescope.

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 A-Z of Constellations     The Astronomy Show e...

There is a rather splendid Thomas Cooke & Sons telescope at Rossall School on the Fylde coast of Lancashire. The school was founded in 1844. In 1860 a 4.5 inch telescope was installed in an observatory at the school. This would be one of the first public schools to have an observatory.   I am not sure of the maker of the telescope but I believe it was purchased from the optician J B Dancer of...

The Perseid meteor shower, its probably the most famous of the year and can be seen on the night of August 12th/13th.

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 A-Z of Constellations   The Astronomy Show eve...

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 A-Z of Constellations .    The Astronomy Show...

In the early 1960s the space race was on. Who was going to get people to the Moon first Russia or America?  The Americans wanted to accurately map areas of the Moon where astronauts might land.. They sent  aseries of unmanned craft to crash inti the surface of the Mon taking lots of photographs before impact. How easy could that be? 

Many people believe that Galileo was the first person to look at the Moon through a telescope. He wasn't ,Thomas Harroiot was, he beat Galileo by around 4 months.

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 A-Z of Constellations   The Astronomy Show eve...