Antique Telescope Society - Conventions & Workshops 2012 : The Centennial Celebration of Hamburg Observatory The Antique Telescope Society's 21st Annual Convention will be held at historic Hamburg Observatory. 2012 is the Centennial Jubilee of the observatory's official founding in 1912. As part of this historic milestone, the ATS is pleased to lend its support to Hamburg Observatory's effort to gain World Heritage Site status. We will gather for dinner Friday evening at Bergedorf Castle for a keynote address by Dr. James Caplan of the Observatoire Astronomique de Marseille-Provence, professional astronomer and a writer and lecturer in the field of historic astronomical instruments and observatories. Immediately following the convention, we have planned three full days of exceptional tours of Germany's stellar old observatories and telescope making sites. The ATS is fortunate to have as our patron at Hamburg Observatory Prof. Dr. Gudrun Wolfschmidt, noted scholar, author and speaker in the field of Astronomical, Telescope and Observatory history. And we are fortunate to have Walter Stefani, noted Schmidt historian, assisting with organization of the convention. This year's ATS convention follows two other astronomical conventions at the same venue in Hamburg: the Meeting of the Working Group on the History of Astronomy (Comets, stars, galaxies - Astronomy in the Hamburg Observatory) on September 23rd -24th, and the Fall Meeting of the Astronomische Gesellschaft -the German Astronomical Society - on September 25th- 27th. Background: Astronomy started in Hamburg with Tycho Brahe in 1600, who stayed in Wandsbek Castle, at that time under Danish government. During the Baroque period in the 18th Century, private astronomical observatories were erected. The School for Navigation in Hamburg was founded in 1749. The current Hamburg Observatory also has an earlier tradition. Founded by the fire fighter Johann Georg Repsold (1770-1830) in 1802, it received a new building in 1825 and became a State Institute in 1833. In the 19th century positional astronomy and a time service for navigation, played an important role, and the institute was well known in the astronomical world for its achievements. In the 20th century astrophysics started to play the dominant role. Today, tours, Long Nights of Museums, Open House events, exhibitions, star gazing activities and cultural events (lyric moonlit nights, musical presentations) have been added to its mission. Hamburg Observatory was built at its present location in Hamburg-Bergedorf between 1906 and 1912. The buildings mirror the architecture of that time, and the impressive collection of instruments form an important historical record of astronomical research. The whole ensemble was put under monument protection in 1996 due to its significance in cultural history. Hamburg Observatory is also the site of Bernhard Schmidt's groundbreaking development of the Schmidt Camera, ca. 1930. Hosted by ... Gudrun Wolfschmidt, Convention Organizer Walter Stephani, Convention Organizer Bart Fried, Convention Co-Chairman and ATS President Matt Considine, Convention Co-Chairman and ATS Vice-President Peter Abrahams, Paper Sessions Chairman Jack Koester, ATS Treasurer Walter H. Breyer, ATS Executive Secretary General Schedule: 28-29 September ATS 21st Annual Convention - Hamburg Observatory Sessions 30 Sept - 2 October ATS 21st Annual Convention - Historic Observatories Tour 2012 Convention Registration 2012 Call for Papers 2012 Convention Pre-Schedule Additional information at Gudrun Wolfschmidt's webpage Also Planned! Visits to ... Jena Optical Museum SCHOTT GlasMuseum Archenhold Observatory Göttingen Observatory Wilhelm-Förster Observatory Potsdam Astrophysical Observatory Jena+Karl Schwarzschild Observatory Prior Conventions Each year the ATS holds its annual meeting in proximity to historic observatories and astronomical instrumentstion in the United States, Canada, and in Europe. The Society rotates its meetings to varying locations to best accommodate the access for its many far spread members. Each meeting generally covers 3-5 days, depending on the location, scheduled papers, and events, and spans over a weekend. #20: 2011 Tucson, AZ - Kitt Peak & Whipple Observatories & Steward Mirror Lab #19: 2010 Charlottesville, VA - Leander McCormick Observatory #18: 2009 Detroit, MI - Detroit Observatory #17: 2008 Leiden, Netherlands - Boerhaave Museum #17W: 2008 Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati Observatory (Workshop) #16: 2007 Greenville, SC - Roper Mountain Science Center #15: 2006 Fort Davis, TX - McDonald Observatory #14: 2005 Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati Observatory #13: 2004 Nantucket, MA - Maria Mitchell Observatory #12: 2003 Denver, CO - Chamberlin Observatory #11: 2002 Dublin, Ireland - Lord Rosse's Observatory at Birr Castle, ... #10: 2001 Pittsburgh, PA - Allegheny Observatory, John Brashear, etc. #9: 2000 Flagstaff, AZ - Lowell Observatory #8: 1999 Victoria, BC, Canada - Dominion Observatory #7: 1998 Boston, MA - Harvard Observatory #6: 1997 Pasadena, CA - Mt. Wilson & Palomar Observatories #5: 1996 Bath, England - Univ. London, Cambridge, & Greenwich Observatories #4: 1995 Philadelphia, PA - Swarthmore Observatory #3: 1994 Santa Clara, CA - Chabot, & Lick Observatory #2: 1993 Williams Bay, WI - Yerkes Observatory #1: 1992 Washington, DC - U.S. Naval Observatory