Revealing observatory networks through object stories: Object itineraries
| Autor: | Ileana Chinnici, Louise E Devoy, Fernando B Figueiredo |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2023 |
| Předmět: |
astronomical expeditions
astronomy chronometer human computers meteorological and magnetic observatory object biography object itineraries object stories observational data observatory furniture observatory sites palermo astronomical observatory royal observatory greenwich seismograph seismology timekeeping university of coimbra History of scholarship and learning. The humanities AZ20-999 Museums. Collectors and collecting AM1-501 |
| Zdroj: | Science Museum Group Journal, Iss 20 (2023) |
| Druh dokumentu: | article |
| ISSN: | 2054-5770 |
| DOI: | 10.15180/232005 |
| Popis: | In this paper, each contribution uses an object biography – or object itinerary – methodology, tracking their chosen objects from conception and purchase, across time and space, to today. The function of each object could change significantly over time, and these stories serve to remind us of the range of projects and activities that observatories might support or host, including overseas astronomical expeditions, a local time service, mathematical calculations, measurement of photographic plates, magnetic, meteorological and seismological observation, the hosting and dining of visitors, and the display and promotion of the observatory’s status. In each case, the object’s movements and location within particular spaces point the reader to consider a wide range of people, whether located within the observatory, beyond its walls, or within international scientific networks. The objects considered here are a London-made marine chronometer purchased by the Palermo Observatory, which was not used for navigation but was nevertheless well travelled; a large wooden table placed in the Octagon Room of the Royal Observatory Greenwich; and a British seismograph set up in at the Meteorological and Magnetic Observatory of the University of Coimbra. These itineraries also show how the value attached to objects changes over time: they shift from functional tools to obsolescence, then regain significance as their histories have been recovered and re-examined. This paper forms part of the collection ‘Revealing observatory networks through object stories’ where object stories are presented in three themed papers (with further papers being ‘Instrumental networks’ and ‘Observatory audiences’). The genesis of the collection is described in the ‘Introduction’. |
| Databáze: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
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