- DURATION 60 mins
Event Description
They were an odd couple. John Goodricke was deaf and unable to speak, and Edward Piggot was extremely fashionable in his dress, but for a brief moment in time from 1781-1786 they changed the face of astronomy. They discovered stars that changed in brightness and explained why this happened. Goodricke would die before his twenty-second birthday and both their lives could have been written into a soap opera. This is the story of the Fathers of Variable Star Astronomy.
- Duration: 60 mins
- Online Zoom event: Join from your computer, phone or tablet (no replay available)
Meet the Host, Martin
Martin studied for his degree in astrophysics while working as a guard on British Rail in the 1970s. Before taking early retirement he was Curator of Astronomy at the Yorkshire Museum in York, and in 1998 he was presented with an MBE for services to astronomy and education. Martin is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Today, in addition to presenting lectures, Martin writes a monthly feature for local newspaper ‘The Craven Herald’, which covers the Yorkshire Dales. He has his own weekly radio show on a local community radio station, Drystone Radio. Martin also featured on an episode of BBC ‘Antiques Road Trip’ as guest expert on the York based telescope and instrument maker Thomas Cooke.
More Information
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