Telescope 400 day at Syon Park, July 26

Ian Ridpath · (#1 (**permalink**))

Four hundred years ago, an Englishman named Thomas Harriot turned a telescope on the Moon and marvelled at its rugged, cratered surface. The drawing he made that night is the oldest known depiction of a celestial object as seen through a telescope, beating Galileo by four months. Celebrate the anniversary of Harriot’s achievement at an astronomically themed day for space enthusiasts young and old on the very site where Harriot made his observations – Syon Park, west London.
Telescope400 - About the Day

Download the flyer here (PDF):
http://www.telescope400.org.uk/flyer.pdf

Evening lecture by Allan Chapman, with reception to follow:
Telescope400: The Thomas Harriott Quatercentenary Lecture and Reception

Helen · (#2 (**permalink**))

That looks like a really interesting day Ian and I'm sorry I won't be able to go

(be recovering from jet-leg having returned the previous day from China for the eclipse).

Hope all goes well!

And welcome to SGL

Helen

MartinB · (#3 (**permalink**))

Welcome to SGL Ian. Good luck with the day. unfortunately I will be away on holiday.

Mark at Beaufort · (#4 (**permalink**))

Thanks Ian for the information and welcome to SGL. I had already decided to attend this event and booked a local hotel to make a weekend of it. I listened to Allan Chapman giving a wonderful talk at Astrofest on Thomas Harriott. Lets hope for sunny weather.

Mark

Ian Ridpath · (#5 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark at Beaufort

I had already decided to attend this event and booked a local hotel to make a weekend of it.

Admirable enthusiasm. Which hotel?

Thanks to all for the welcome to SGL.

Ian

FLO · (#6 (**permalink**))

Welcome to SGL.

You wouldn't be Ian Ridpath the author, would you?

lunator · (#7 (**permalink**))

Steve

Yep you are right

Cheers

Ian

Jamie · (#8 (**permalink**))

Hi Ian and welcome aboard....

tom.yates · (#9 (**permalink**))

Welcome

FLO · (#10 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunator

Yep you are right

Excellent

Mark at Beaufort · (#11 (**permalink**))

Ian

The hotel is just the local Travelodge at Kew but at £19 for the saturday night I thought it would be ideal. I usually stay there when attending Astrofest so I know it is okay and reasonable close to Syon Park. Hope to meet you on the 26th.

Mark

barkis · (#12 (**permalink**))

Just my luck. An event like this in London and I holiday there in August. I can never get things like this to coincide.
It would have been an excellent day for me.. It would be great for the Mrs too, able to shop on her own without me Tut Tutting every 2 minutes.

Ron.

Ian Ridpath · (#13 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark at Beaufort

The hotel is just the local Travelodge at Kew but at £19 for the saturday night I thought it would be ideal. I usually stay there when attending Astrofest so I know it is okay and reasonable close to Syon Park. Hope to meet you on the 26th.

It's about a mile from Syon so you'll need to take a bus (237 or 267) along the High Street unless you enjoy a good walk. Please do introduce yourself. Always good to meet a keen Astrofester as well.

PS: You realize you will be entering the mysterious Brentford Triangle, as immortalized by Robert Rankin?

Mark at Beaufort · (#14 (**permalink**))

Ian

Thanks for the information I think an enjoyable walk will start the day well.

Clearly I need to educate myself on the 'Brentford Triangle'!!

See you next month.

Mark

lunator · (#15 (**permalink**))

[QUOTE=

PS: You realize you will be entering the mysterious Brentford Triangle, as immortalized by Robert Rankin?[/QUOTE]

Brentford Triangle also known as 'The Butts'

Mark at Beaufort · (#16 (**permalink**))

Just a thankyou to the organisers of this event on Sunday. Syon House is a wonderful location and the visit around the house gave it an added bonus. Enjoyable talks and displays around Syon gardens. It was good to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Thomas Harriott's viewing of the Moon and I managed to use a time machine to take this photograph. How did those Tudors make that Benbo tripod.

Mark