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Hidden Hollow
2009
 
Cosmic Journeymen - Observing With The Masters...
Are you ready for a Tammy presentation? From the moment Galileo turned the newly developed telescope towards the heavens, he opened our eyes and our minds to new dimensions. What followed in the next 400 years was an epic.
 Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to have known Charles Messier? Do you think about what force drove Sir William Herschel? How did it impact his sister Caroline and his son John? What did Lord Rosse really see when he looked through the Leviathan? What would it have been like to have known Louis Lacaille or E.E. Barnard? Who was Tycho Brahe or Edmund Halley?
Looking through a telescope is a wonderful experience – just as is studying astronomy. However, both are like looking at tree without ever knowing about all of its roots and branches. While some very sophisticated scientists have made tremendous contributions over the years, just as many ordinary observers like you and I have also changed the face of astronomy history.
 Take a walk with the “Cosmic Journeyman”… You’ll discover yourself - and people you know - in names like Galileo, Tycho Brahe, Sir William Herschel, Maria Mitchell, E.E. Barnard and more. This lighthearted look at the times and the people who made astronomy isn't your ordinary powerpoint presentation. Here the astronomers from the past step right out to greet you! But don't be afraid. This isn't a lesson and there won't be a test at the end. It's a real "live" look at the real people who did real astronomy and what it really meant to them.
 What was Galileo like? We won't bore you with when he was born and when he died... But what he did during his lifetime and what kind of trouble he got into. How did Tycho Brahe get his nose cut off? How about Sir Edmund Halley? We know about Halley's Comet... But what did he really do for astronomy? When it came to comet hunting, none was more famous than Charles Messier, who ended up giving us 110 of the greatest deep sky objects of all times in his famous catalog. Most folks know a little bit about his life... But how much do you really know?
 Don't think history is boring. One of the most fasincating families of all times is the Herschels. You'll get a chance to meet Sir William and his sister Caroline and find out what made this brother and sister team two of the most dedicated skywatchers of all times. Their passion for astronomy carried on to the next generation and on to John Herschel, too! You've heard about the Leviathan telescope, but what did Lord Rosse really see and what kind of man was he? And don't forget the ladies... Because names like Maria Mitchell and Annie Jump Cannon are some of the most important of all!
 But history didn't stop in the "olden days"... Many great astronomers followed afterward. Did you know that E.E. Barnard began his astronomy life as a total amateur? What was Edwin Hubble like? Have you ever wondered about Carl Sagan... Leslie Peltier... Or Stephen James O'Meara? Maybe, just maybe... You'll even meet a surprise guest at the end!
The science of tomorrow awaits you tonight. Join our journeyman and have some fun!
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