Avatar Change.

[barkis]

Well, for me anyway.
I thought it would be be a reasonable Idea, for members  to feature own favourite Giant from 
the past in their own Avatar. It need only stay up for as long as you want.
You can write  a little  piece about their particular  major contribution to Astronomy, or any of the 
Sciences that are essential to Astronomy. I would hope it will be educational, inasmuch as 
presenting an insight into the great  achievements of those in your Avatars. 
There are many Giants of Astronomy throughout history, and It is often said that Modern Astronomy
owes a great deal to those Men, and Women, on who's Shoulders it is often sad, we stand on.
My own selection, although their are a number I could have chose, Is Tycho Ottesen Brahe.
He was a Danish Nobleman, and lived  his life in a  flamboyant way Lost part of his nose in a Duel,
and had it repaired with Gold and Wax.
He made many measuring Instrument himself, and they proved extraordinarily accurate.
There is too much to say about the man here, but friends Google and Wiki will reveal what 
Tycho achieved in his lifetime. Supernova 1572 in Cassiopeia was his discovery to name one.
 

A light hearted video on PBS may amuse.

http://www.pbs.org/video/tycho-brahe-dec-11-17th-5-min-9a7hez/
 

 

[Saganite]

Nice idea. I will give it some thought !

[AKB]

What a fantastic idea!

My nomination: Sir Bernard Lovell.

I’m just finishing reading his autobiography "Astronomer by chance" (handily borrowed from the Abingdon Astronomical Society's book collection.)

Creator and director of the Jodrell Bank radio telescope, a career full of drama including his earlier work on developing radar, the work done by him and others with this technology has radically changed our understanding of the universe. 

 

[Stub Mandrel]

How about Aristarchus - the Greek philosopher who put the sun at the centre of the solar system? (and Lunar Crater!)

[barkis]

Well that's a promising start guys, thanks for the support

[barkis]

Ah well!  Perhaps Henry Ford was right when he said "History is Bunk".                    

 

[AKB]

It was a worthy attempt, which I appreciate.  Perhaps people are just wedded to their own likenesses, or their dogs, or cats, or astro-images...

____________________

 

For the record, I attach the temporary image I used of Sir Bernard Lovell, at Jodrell Bank.

 

[barkis]

Appreciate it AKB,  I just thought looking back at the contributions those past greats made to Astronomy, would be  nice depicted in members Avatars.            It is clear there is little general  enthusiasm  for such a suggestion.

I do thank the three out of around 60,000 members who did reply.

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, barkis said:

Appreciate it AKB,  I just thought looking back at the contributions those past greats made to Astronomy, would be  nice depicted in members Avatars.            It is clear there is little general  enthusiasm  for such a suggestion.

I do thank the three out of around 60,000 members who did reply.

I wonder if people  simply  took the title you used for the thread to mean you had changed your avatar and skipped reading it?

Perhaps something that was obviously a call to action would have got more hits? "Change your avatar to Celebrate a Giant of Astronomy this month!"

[barkis]

You may well be right there, I could have worded it better I guess. However, you and Sub Mandrel interpreted the post OK. Let's see how it pans out.

No big loss if it just dies ?.

 

 

[ringz]

My hero since I was a kid is Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell.

[Kropster]

On 24/04/2018 at 13:30, barkis said:

I do thank the three out of around 60,000 members who did reply.

Comes across as a bit 'passive aggressive', so may put some off.

[barkis]

54 minutes ago, Kropster said:

Comes across as a bit 'passive aggressive', so may put some off.

Certainly not intended as such, as a Moderator,  I  encourage and assist members whenever I can.                            

[RayD]

I think it was a great idea and it actually prompted me to research some of the suggestions.  However, perhaps for some, certainly me, they feel their avatar is a kind of projection or portrayal of their own personality, so are a little reluctant to change it?  I don't know this, of course, and am just surmising.

[goodricke1]

Not surprisingly mine is John Goodricke, who discovered (working with Edward Pigott) the periodicity of Algol in 1783. Deaf-mute, a prodigy, and dead at 21... no wonder he became a romanticised figure in the 19th century. Along with his Algol calculations (within seconds of the modern value) he also discovered Delta Cephei, prototype of that class of variables. His demise was allegedly caused by over-exposure to the night air, summing up the romantic image of a gifted natural philosopher cut off in his prime.

[Tzitzis]

For me I think its Galileo Galilei. Not only for his contributions generally in sciences or the use of telescope and his astronomical findings (Jupiter's moons, Saturn's rings etc) but mainly for his defence of the helliocentric system against the catholic church.

[JAO]

Edward Emerson Barnard

In my humble opinion the greatest visual observer since William Herschel and with none of Herschel's advantages. Born into unimaginable poverty he rose to become a remarkable astronomer, discovering 15 comets, the 5th moon of Jupiter, almost certainly the first recorded observations of the spokes in Saturns rings, catalogued 119 dark nebulae, independently researched the Gegenschein and produced countless planetary and deep sky observations. He politely, but firmly challenged Lowell about the canal on Mars and is probably the best early practitioner of wide field astro photography. Sadly only remembered because of the high proper motion star named after him. An absolute giant who I don't believe has had the fame and notoriety his contribution to astronomy warranted.

William Sheehan's 'The immortal Fire Within' tells the simultaneously sad and remarkable story of this overlooked giant.

My hero Eddy!

 

Great idea by the way @barkis !

[25585]

Sir Isaac Newton. Loved cats, a Christian & one of the greatest scientists. Got a collectible 50p coin honouring him. 

[25585]

On 21 April 2018 at 21:09, Saganite said:

Nice idea. I will give it some thought !

Carl?

[Alfian]

How about Copernicus (1473-1543). Mathematician and astronomer, who proposed a new (?) model of the universe centred on the sun rather than the earth, which was a step in the right direction. He has a one of the most fantastic luna craters named after him too so that will do nicely.

[25585]

A British astronomer not many know about is Sir James Jeanes. I still have his old Pelican book "The Stars in Their Courses". 

[John]

I've gone for William F Denning. W F Denning (1848-1931) was a Bristol based amateur astronomer who achieved great things despite a lack of formal scientific training. Amongst many other things he discovered a number of comets and in 1920 the nova V476 Cygni. Denning was awarded a RAS Gold Medal in 1898 and headed the BAA's Comet and Meteor sections around the turn of the century. He authored over 1000 published articles in prominent scientific journals and in 1891 the wonderfully titled book "Telescopic Work for Starlight Evenings". He has lunar and martian craters named after him.

My avatar is the "Punch" cartoon dated 9 April 1892 depicting Denning and the small comet that he had just discovered from his observatory at Bishopston, Bristol.

Here is William Denning with his Browning reflector:

 

[cloudsweeper]

OK Barkis - I've gone for Charles Messier, the French astronomer (1730 - 1817) and comet hunter whose interest there led to his famous catalogue we all use and love.  As we know, it comprises clusters and nebulae, but of course some of the latter were later shown to be galaxies.

I shouldn't be too concerned about the low "take-up" rate for this neat idea - I have only just found it.  Posts do get "buried" rather quickly, and unless you specifically hunt within a particular area, you can miss a lot.

I'll shall keep CM up for a while before returning to the familiar Lego John Lennon, holding a telescope.  (Plus the other Beatles in Lego of course.)  As has been remarked, we tend to use avatars which reflect our tastes!

Doug.

 

[barkis]

13 minutes ago, cloudsweeper said:

OK Barkis - I've gone for Charles Messier, the French astronomer (1730 - 1817) and comet hunter whose interest there led to his famous catalogue we all use and love.  As we know, it comprises clusters and nebulae, but of course some of the latter were later shown to be galaxies.

I shouldn't be too concerned about the low "take-up" rate for this neat idea - I have only just found it.  Posts do get "buried" rather quickly, and unless you specifically hunt within a particular area, you can miss a lot.

I'll shall keep CM up for a while before returning to the familiar Lego John Lennon, holding a telescope.  (Plus the other Beatles in Lego of course.)  As has been remarked, we tend to use avatars which reflect our tastes!

Doug.

 

Many thanks Doug. Messier was indeed one of the most notable astronomers way back. Identifying all those wonderful DSO's for us, although his ulterior motive was not  to confuse them with comets, which was his prime motive. He did us all  a great service.  I greatly admire the man's extreme patience, traversing the night skies in a most methodical manner to log what he may have regarded as pests.   I wonder what Charles M. would make of the wonderful Images Hubble, and indeed today's Amateur AP's are producing. I do have his Album, which is a bit tattered now, but was invaluable when I used to be in my Domed Obs. That was when I was very enthusiastic, but unfortunately, time plays havoc with one's energies ?.          Of course everyone adopting a favourite from the past, does not have to keep the Avatar in place too long, only at their own discretion.                                                        Best Wishes Doug.

I keep getting called Doug by the odd member, I used to respond, but I've gotten used to it now, and just let it go.       After all, what's in a name ?.

[SteveNickolls]

Will Hay, a good read here-http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/2009JBAA..119...67M

Cheers,
Steve