When Einstein asked Astronomers to observe stars close to the Sun he set in motion one of the most famous and dramatic events in scientific history, the observations of the deflection of starlight by gravity at the total solar eclipse of May 29, 1919. But in a story full of wonder, one of the most wonderful things is often rather downplayed. The Astronomer Royal of England was able to identify the perfect eclipse to test the theory, and precisely when and where it could observed, down nearly to the second. How did astronomers develop this remarkable ability to predict the future? And why is it so specific to the problem of eclipses? After all no one could predict whether the astronomers who went to see the eclipse would enjoy fine weather (in fact they very very nearly saw no stars at all). Even Halley’s comet, another famous example of a recurring and predictable phenomenon, has a return which cannot be predicted even to the nearest month. The story of eclipse prediction is a long and involved one, but by telling it through a selection of famous eclipses we can get an idea of its drama, and meet remarkable people and events along the way. They will include Thales of Miletus, the “first scientist,” Alexander the Great, Ptolemy, Columbus, Copernicus, Kepler, Edmond Halley, Benjamin Franklin and Einstein. It is a story of discovery which is still ongoing today as we create artificial eclipses, observe them from space and from the surfaces of other planets.

Before the talk (~3:45pm), tea and coffee will be served outside 116 Weniger.

After the talk, there will be a reception with food and drink in 247 Weniger.