Parallel sessions
Sessions
Preserving Astronomical Heritage
Preserving Astro Heritage
In the wake of the bicentenary of the Royal Astronomical Society, this session focuses on positive actions that can be taken by members of the astronomical community towards safeguarding astronomical heritage for the future, for example, by preserving historical observations and maintaining research data.
2019 saw positive developments in the recognition of astronomical heritage both ancient and modern, such as the inclusion of Spain's Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria and the UK’s Jodrell Bank to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, demonstrating the importance of the heritage of science both ancient and modern. In 2019 there was an urgent call to action in the Astro2020 Science White Papers for the preservation of historical astronomical data (Pevtsov et al, ‘Historical astronomical data: urgent need for preservation, digitization enabling scientific exploration’ arXiv:1903.04839 [astro-ph.IM]. The paper highlights in particular the new science that can now be carried out as a result of preservation projects in heliophysics and photometry.
The astronomical heritage that survives today has been preserved in part as a result of decisions taken by astronomers and planetary scientists when finishing a research project, managing institutional research data and records, when retiring, or when they encounter a store room of mystery instruments and papers. This session will bring archival, research data and museum experts into discussion with astronomers to look at practical actions that individuals and institutions can take to play their part in preserving astronomical heritage.
Speakers:
Ali Boyle: Keeper of Science Collections, Science Museum, London
Amanda Chadburn: UK Focal Point on World Heritage and Astronomy/ Historic England
Joshua Nall (chair): Curator of Modern Sciences, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge
Omar Nasim: Professor for the History of Science, Institute for Philosophy, University of Regensburg
Sara Schechner: David P. Wheatland Curator of the Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
2019 saw positive developments in the recognition of astronomical heritage both ancient and modern, such as the inclusion of Spain's Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria and the UK’s Jodrell Bank to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, demonstrating the importance of the heritage of science both ancient and modern. In 2019 there was an urgent call to action in the Astro2020 Science White Papers for the preservation of historical astronomical data (Pevtsov et al, ‘Historical astronomical data: urgent need for preservation, digitization enabling scientific exploration’ arXiv:1903.04839 [astro-ph.IM]. The paper highlights in particular the new science that can now be carried out as a result of preservation projects in heliophysics and photometry.
The astronomical heritage that survives today has been preserved in part as a result of decisions taken by astronomers and planetary scientists when finishing a research project, managing institutional research data and records, when retiring, or when they encounter a store room of mystery instruments and papers. This session will bring archival, research data and museum experts into discussion with astronomers to look at practical actions that individuals and institutions can take to play their part in preserving astronomical heritage.
Speakers:
Ali Boyle: Keeper of Science Collections, Science Museum, London
Amanda Chadburn: UK Focal Point on World Heritage and Astronomy/ Historic England
Joshua Nall (chair): Curator of Modern Sciences, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge
Omar Nasim: Professor for the History of Science, Institute for Philosophy, University of Regensburg
Sara Schechner: David P. Wheatland Curator of the Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
Sian Prosser, Joshua Nall
Monday late afternoon
All attendees are expected to show respect and courtesy to other attendees and staff, and to adhere to the NAM Code of Conduct.
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