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Celestial Mirror: The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh II

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 4:30pm to 5:30pm

Virtual Event

In the early eighteenth century, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur constructed five astronomical observatories in northern India. The observatories, or "Jantar Mantars" as they are commonly known, incorporate multiple buildings of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement. The four sites that remain represent an extraordinary fusion of architecture and science, combining elements of astronomy, astrology, and geometry into forms of remarkable beauty that have captivated the attention of architects, artists, scientists, and historians around the world.

In a live, virtual Chats in the Stacks talk, Barry Perlus, associate professor emeritus of art in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, discusses his photographic exploration of the Jantar Mantars in his book Celestial Mirror: The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh II (Yale University Press, 2020). Perlus’s images show breathtaking, 360-degree panoramas, while his explanatory text and diagrams describe the observatories and their workings, providing historical context and insights about the scientific and architectural innovations involved—all to provide a delightful immersive experience that brings the observatories to life.

A live Q&A session will follow the talk. Audience members are encouraged to submit questions for the author to the Chat box in the webinar during the presentation.

Dial-In Information

Please register through the following link:

https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_K48gRT-BTByWBzySIstZMQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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Event Type

Author Appearance, Special Event, Presentation

Departments

Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Cornell University Library, Architecture, Art, Fine Arts Library, South Asia Program

Tags

library, astronomy, art, CUL, photography, book talk, history, India

Group
Cornell Astronomical Society, Friends of Astronomy
Contact E-Mail

jl3378@cornell.edu

Contact Name

Jenny Leijonhufvud

Speaker

Barry Perlus

Speaker Affiliation

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

Disability Access Information

Closed Captioning will be available

Registration Status

Registration required: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_K48gRT-BTByWBzySIstZMQ

Open To

Free and open to all

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