Astronomy:¶
Like the other topical resource pages this is a place for me to try to capture the many activities and resources that can be integrated into our learning experience in Barcelona.
Astronomy in Spain:¶
Like all sciences each element of growth in our understanding depends on those who have gone before. There is a strong thread between the astronomers of the Islamic world from around 700 CE to 1500 CE both in al Andalus (Spain) and Baghdad. There are many resources I need to track down in this arena of learning.
Sundial Trail in Barcelona:¶
Sundials hold a fascination for many people for a range of reasons. They are a natural way of marking time and can be remarkably accurate. There is an active group of sundial fans in Barcelona and they have created a ‘Sundial Trail’ that guides us through 10 different sundials around Barcelona. They are in many parts of the city and give us a great reason to explore. The Societat Catalana de Gnomonica is the local group of sundial enthusiasts. Their current version of the Sundial Trail doesn’t include some of the more modern ones but it is good practice for our Catalan:)
Lunar Eclipse:¶
We’ll probably use some part of my usual course materials for the topic of eclipses. This is another great topic to explore outdoors in the park or on the beach. Depending on weather we will plan to do so.
Remarkably nature has arranged for a total eclipse of the moon on May 16th (at sunrise on Monday morning - 5:30 am!) right as the moon sets (which will be just before dawn!). We will talk about this the week before and hope to see everyone on Placa d’Europa where we should have a great view to the moonset and the eclipse.
Fabra Observatory:¶
The Fabra Observatory is an astronomical and geologic observatory constucted at the turn of the 20th century. It is still actively engaged in scientific research which is quite remarkable. It sits on Tibidabo on the western edge of Barcelona. We will visit the parc during our day walk the first week we are in Barcelona. Watch for this beautiful building while we are there.