AAS - General Meeting - Skies of Ancient Egypt - In Person

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Note that this not at our regular location. It is being held at ECJ 1.204.

Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall (ECJ), 301 E. Dean Keeton St., Austin, TX 78712

From the usual location you go south across the pedestrian bridge and it is the first building on your left.

You DO need to check with the AAS site regularly for the latest event information and schedule -- https://austinastro.org/

AAS has this to say...

7:00 p.m. – Practical Astronomy - "Drinking from the Firehose" (Jim Choate)
7:30 p.m. – Business Meeting
8:00 p.m. – “Skies of Ancient Egypt” - Don Olson Professor Emeritus, Texas State University

Based on a trip to Egypt in April and May 2026, this talk will survey the astronomy of ancient Egypt. Topics will illustrate visits to the Dendera temple (star ceiling planisphere and rectangular zodiac), the temple at Esna (ceiling with constellations and the cycle of lunar phases), Luxor and the Valley of the Kings (star ceiling in the tomb of Sety I), and Abu Simbel (the history of the temple and the solar illumination at sunrise). Also noted is an astronomical feature of the new GEM (Grand Egyptian Museum) in Cairo.

Don Olson taught physics and astronomy for many years at Texas State University and published more than 50 articles and 4 books using astronomy to solve mysteries in art, history, and literature. Olson’s latest book is Celestial Sleuthing (Springer, 2026).

Donald Olson -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Olson_(astronomer)

The Astronomical League -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_League

The Astronomical League -- https://www.astroleague.org/