Channel Islands

SHA County coordinator was the late  David Le Conte

Astronomers

De la Rue, Warren (1815-89), born Guernsey (ODNB; Obit., MNRAS, 50 (1890), 155-64; Le Conte 2011; see Middlesex).

Grumbrecht [von Gumpach], Johannes [Baron Theodor] (1814-1875), born Fedderwarden nr. Wilhelmshaven, Germany, he was living London by 1841. Working for the bank, Huth & Co, he was arrested for embezzlement, resulting in exile to Germany. After his conviction he used the title Baron Gumpach and adopting the name Theodor. From 1860-5 he lived on Guernsey where he published papers on the figure of the Earth before being appointed Professor of mathematics and Astronomy at the new Tongwen Guan College in Peking [Beijing], China.  Later, he was dismissed from from the role, an act that resulting in Gumpach suing for defamation (WIKI; Le Conte 2019).

Associated People

Naftel, Paul Jacob (1817-1891), born Guernsey, a trained artist who accompanied astronomers to observe the 22 December 1860 Solar Eclipse from Cadiz, Spain at the invitation of Father Stephen Perry (S.J.). Naftel was hired to record the atmosphere and colour seen at the eclipse, using his skills a landscape painter (Le Conte 2008).

Observatories

Sir Patrick Moore Centre [SPMC] (2004- ), Le Creux Country Park, St. Brelade, Isle of Jersey established by the Jersey Astronomy Club. The domed observatory houses a 12-inch SCT catadioptric telescope on a fork equatorial mounting.

La Société Guernesiaise Observatory [LSGO] (1993- ), Rue de Lorier, St Peters, Isle of Guernsey, established by the astronomy section of La Société Guernesiaise. The run-off roof brick-built observatory houses a 16-inch SCT reflector carrying a 5-inch refractor along with a 6-inch heliostat for solar viewing. A 12-inch reflector on a Dobsonian mount is also available for visual observation.

Astronomy Groups

Jersey Astronomy Club (JAC), founded  late 1990s through the efforts of Neil Mahrer first meeting at a local art centre later moving to Hautlieu.  The current venue and club observatory, the Sir Patrick Moore Astronomy Centre, was opened in 2004 at Le Creux Country Park, St. Brelade.

La Société Guernesiaise – Astronomy Section [Guernsey Astronomical Society] (SGAS), founded 1972, as one of the twelve sections of  La Société Guernesiaise (established 1882).  The group with around 40 members (2016)  runs the Guernsey Observatory with an active outreach programme (WEA courses etc.).  It is equipped with 16-inch Meade, 11-Celestron, 5-inch Takahashi refractor, and 6-inch heliostat.