Flamsteed Astronomy Society

Professor Ray Sharples

Many great breakthroughs in astronomy have come as the direct result of the applications of new technology. In this talk, Ray will review the development of astronomical technology over the last 300 years and look forward to a new era of giant telescopes and multi-wavelength facilities which will come on-line in the early part of this century.

Professor Ray Sharples is Director of the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation at Durham University and a professor in the Department of Physics. His career includes a spell as a Staff Astronomer at the Anglo-Australian Observatory in the 1980s working with, amongst others, the astrophotographer David Malin. He has observed with many of the world’s largest optical and infrared telescopes, including UKIRT, AAT, Gemini, WHT, INT, Subaru and SALT, and is the Principal Investigator for the recently commissioned 18Meuro KMOS instrument at the European Southern Observatory.