ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before class begins.
An Astronomer of Strange Success and Even Stranger Failures
James C. Watson began his studies at the University of Michigan in 1853 at the young age of 15. From the start, Watson was known as an intellectual force, mastering multiple subjects and receiving one of the first master,s degrees offered at the University of Michigan. After joining the Detroit Observatory, Watson's subsequent career in astronomy would catapult him to notoriety and infamy. This is the tale of one of the biggest personalities in 19th century astronomy and his journey through astronomical success and earthly blunder. Austin Edmister serves as Assistant Director for Astronomy at the Detroit Observatory. Austin holds a B.S. in physics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an M.S. in astrophysics from Michigan State University. He has over a decade of experience using telescopes and planetariums to teach about the wonders of the night sky.
