Extra: Marvelous Mercury!

In this Awesome Astronomy podcast extra episode we bring you the
key speakers from this spring’s AstroCamp in the Brecon Beacon
dark sky reserve. As the transit of Mercury was the main feature
of this spring’s camp, we were delighted to welcome (and now to
share with you) speakers with detailed knowledge of planetary
transits:


Dr Rebekah Higgitt lectures history at the University of Kent
and former curator at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Rebekah
tells us about the science goals of observing transits, foreign
wars, treacherous seas and national rivalries that conspired to
prevent observations and the successes and mishaps that befell
many astronomers keen to use this method to measure the size of
the solar system.

London astronomer and professional gemmologist, Eric Emms,
hosts many public solar and lunar observing events (the next of
which will be in London’s Regent’s Park on June 23rd) and steers
Central London’s Astronomical Society as a committee member of
the Baker Street Irregular astronomers.

Eric takes us on a voyage to Mercury to show us why this is
far from the dull dry world that many may think.