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Ainsley Vinall tells the story of the astronomer Alexander Aubert FRS, the subject of an oil painting recently purchased by the Royal Society.

How did a solar eclipse in May 1919 help to prove Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity? Vida Milovanovic tells the story.

The Royal Society’s Herschel collection is growing! Keith Moore describes how a new acquisition provides insights into the wider Herschel family and their scientific endeavours.

Sir John Herschel’s careful management of his correspondence, and his central position in nineteenth-century science, make the Royal Society’s Herschel letters an invaluable archival resource, as Eloise Barber discovers during a major new digitisation project. 

Jon Bushell looks at the Royal Society's portraits of Edmond Halley, and a diagram of Halley's curious model for the internal structure of the Earth.

Alice Oates explains how the technique known as sonification can enhance astronomers’ ability to analyse large, complex datasets, and can also facilitate access to space sciences for blind and partially sighted people.

Dr Patricia Fara tells the story of Caroline Herschel, concert soprano turned astronomer, unkindly caricatured in Georgian times as ‘The Female Philosopher, smelling out the Comet’.

Keith Moore looks to the skies for comets past and present.

Louisiane Ferlier marvels at the paper tools - including quadrants, dials and volvelles - hidden within some of the oldest astronomy books in the Royal Society Library.

Inspired by a Samuel Butler poem, Daniel Belteki finds some curious tales of animals and insects within the history of astronomy.

Clues to the early life and scientific interests of Astronomer Royal George Biddell Airy can be found in his portrait at the Royal Society, as Daniel Belteki explains.

Virginia Mills is entertained by the witty letters and cartoons - including a depiction of the Astronomer Royal standing on his head - sent by mathematician Augustus De Morgan to his friend John Herschel.