Stonyhurst to appear in climate change TV programme

12:12pm Sunday 27th April 2008

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A RENOWNED Catholic college is set to be the star of a new series that examines climate change.

The observatory at Stonyhurst College, near Clitheroe, and the meteorological research undertaken by three of its astronomer priests during the Victorian and Edwardian eras are to feature in a new BBC series called The History of Climate Change.

A BBC crew visited the college last week to begin filming in the observatory, which is well known for its scientific activities, including meteorological records and the observing of sunspots.

A college spokesman said: "Stonyhurst's sunspots and atmospheric temperature observations cover some of the longest periods on record. The BBC is interested in sunspots in particular because they are a measure of solar activity and the series will look at the sun's potential influence on climate.

Stonyhurst has had a succession of distinguished astronomers, several of whom led important astronomical expeditions on behalf of the British Government. Perhaps the best known was Father Stephen Perry, F.R.S., who met his death in 1889 while undertaking solar observations for the Government in the West Indies."

The original Stonyhurst observatory, built as a meteorological station in 1838, is now the tea house in the gardens.

It was one of seven important stations in the country when the Meteorological Office came under the guidance of the Royal Society. It was maintained by the astronomer priests, Father Weld, Perry and Sidgreaves, whose research included astronomy, geomagnetrometry and seismology.

Sir Edward Sabine chose the observatory as one of his main stations when conducting a magnetic survey of Britain in 1858. Five years later Father Sidgreaves began the first series of monthly geometric observations, which continued until May, 1919.

A new observatory was built near the original site in 1866 but, during the course of the 20th Century, it fell out of use and its telescope, parts of which dated to the 1860s, was sold after the Second World War.

When its private owner came to sell it, the College was able to buy it back and restore it to its original home.

The series is due to air on BBC 2 later this year.