Galileo's Telescope

The instrument that revolutionized astronomy 400 years ago was relatively simple, and underwent rapid evolution and refinement as its usefulness was demonstrated. To learn more about the origins of the first telescope, check out this article by Albert van Helden or listen to this 15 minute segment from NPR. A Nova website also contains some useful background information about the invention of the telescope.

If you are going to be in Philadelphia this summer, you can see one of only two surviving Galileo telescopes at The Franklin Institute (through Sept. 7, 2009). This is the first time that one of these instruments has left Italy.

If you would like to explore the full history of the telescope up to today, check out the PBS documentary, 400 Years of the Telescope, which is readily available through Netflix

A Star is Named....for Humanities West

In honor of our upcoming Astronomy program and of the International Year of Astronomy, a star has been named for Humanities West. According to the official certificate:

This is to register the Star designated as 21048
with Magnitude 8, type K0,
located at the coordinates: RA 0H 4m 8.3s, and Declination 56° 55m 15.88s, to be known and named:
Humanities West
Dedicated to illuminating and elevating the human spirit
through exploration of
the many sources of modern culture.

You can see the star by going to Google Sky. We're the one right in the center of the image.

Thanks to Monika Collins, our tireless assistant to the Executive Director, for ensuring our little slice of immortality.

Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy

2009 has been designated as the International Year of Astronomy, in honor of the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first astronomical observations with a telescope. Humanities West is joining the celebration with the first program of our 25th Anniversary season: Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler: Redefining our Place in the Universe (Oct. 2 and 3, 2009). Details of the program can be found here on our website.
Please join us for this unusual and exciting program which combines our usual focus on historical context with a look at the current state of astronomical knowledge as well as a specially commissioned dance performance by Danse Lumiere, inspired by the scientific and philosophical work of past and present astronomers.

If you would like to find out more about the International Year of Astronomy, and the associated activities being held in 140 different countries, you can visit their official web site. This short (3 minute) video clip from the European Space Agency provides an interesting and visually arresting introduction. For a more local focus, check out the activities being organized by the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, whose Executive Director, Alexander Zwissler, will be our moderator for Friday night.

If you know of other local events tied to IYA2009, please share your information by adding a comment below.

Join us for a Commonwealth Club Salon discussion on April 30

This session will focus on the themes of our recent program about Napoleon's impact on Europe and Europe's reaction to Napoleon. The event is being hosted by the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco (595 Market Street, 2nd Floor, the Gold Room). Refreshments will be served starting at 4:45pm, with the discussion starting at 5:15pm. The cost is $8 for members and $15 for non-members. Details may be found here.

What is a salon? A salon is a gathering of stimulating people under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host partly to amuse one another, partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation and readings. Intellectual salons have been around practically as long as there have been intellectuals.

Questions and Comments on the Napoleon program

Our 2008-09 season has ended with the Confronting Napoleon program. Although we always have evaluation forms and question cards at the event, sometimes it's good to have an opportunity to comment after a day or two of reflection.

What did you think about the program? Did you come away with some new ideas or new perspectives on familiar historical events? Do you have any lingering questions that you wish you had asked?

This is your chance to continue the discussion. It's easy to enter comments. Just click on the "__ comments" line right below this item and you will be taken to a screen where you can enter your own thoughts.

Juan Cole at Confronting Napoleon program

Juan Cole has recently published an important new book about Napoleon's invasion of Egypt entitled Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East and his talk at the upcoming Humanities West program will focus on aspects of this topic. (If you purchase the book through our link to Amazon, a small percentage of the purchase price will go to Humanities West, at no additional cost to you.)

However, Cole is also one of America's leading experts on the Middle East, and is a frequent commentator on Middle Eastern issues. If you are interested in seeing how he combines historical insight with contemporary issues and lessons, you might want to watch his hour-plus talk ("Lessons from Past Western Incursions in the Middle East") on YouTube, which compares the French experience with America's experience two centuries later. There is also a four-minute segment from YouTube in which Cole answers five questions about current political issues in the Middle East. Cole also publishes a blog, Informed Comment: Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion, which you can follow.

Napoleon in Egypt

One of our talks in the upcoming Confronting Napoleon program (April 17-18) focuses on Napoleon's invasion of Egypt. Although militarily a failure, the French invasion triggered a wave of scientific and cultural interest in Egypt that influenced French and European attitudes for decades after the fall of Napoleon.

This 5 minute clip from YouTube is a nicely illustrated summary of the lasting impact of Napoleon's attempt to conquer Egypt.