Event Calendar

SALT Telescope

A presentation of the commissioning of the high resolution spectrograph (HRS) for the SALT telescope at the South African National Observatory. Apart from the science, this talk also shows some nice deep sky images taken with an Astrotrac on site.

The talk will be followed by refreshments.

William Lassell (1799-1880). Image Credit: Science Photo Library

Lassell made his fortune as a Liverpool brewer which enabled him to pursue his passion of astronomy, particularly an interest in the outer planets. Described as one of the first “Grand Amateurs” of the Victorian age, William Lassell’s list of achievements is truly impressive. He built a 24 inch reflector telescope using his own workshops, discovered Triton, the largest moon of Neptune, co-discovered Hyperion, a moon of Saturn and went on to discover Ariel and Umbriel, two new moons of Uranus.

Gerard Gilligan first became interested in the great science of Astronomy when he was 8 years old, following the Apollo 8 mission around the Moon.. He joined Liverpool Astronomical Society in 1984 and is a founder member of the UK based Society for the History of Astronomy.

Gerard lives in Liverpool, working at Liverpool University, School of Life Sciences, as a Technical Supervisor. He has a wife, two teenage children and an 8 inch dobsonian telescope to support.