Skip to main content

Proud to be part of LJMU,
in partnership with the Dill Faulkes Educational Trust

 

Light and Telescopes

One of the first people to study light was Ibn al-Haytham (known as Alhazen). He was a Muslim, living in Egypt in the early 11th Century. Alhazen is first person we know of who used the scientific method. He wanted to know why our eyes could see things.

Image
A simple experiment using paper and a light source to show light travels in straight lines..
Credit
This work by The Schools' Observatory is licensed under All rights reserved
A simple experiment using paper and a light source to show light travels in straight lines

Ancient Astronomy

Our ideas about the Solar System and space have changed over time. People have looked to the skies for thousands of years. They have looked at the movement of the stars and the changes of the Sun and Moon.

Image
Eratosthenes is teaching a younger man. in the photo Eratosthenes is pointing at a book. The younger man is holding a celestial globe, indicating a focus on astronomy or geography. The painting is set in a dark background, highlighting the figures and their expressions of concentration
Credit
This work by Bernardo Strozzi (1581–1644) is licensed under Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal
A painting of Eratosthenes teaching in Alexandria