Pictured below right is our President, Paolo Brenni, wearing the new President's Badge of Office. This was formally presented to him at the Conference dinner.
A full report of the conference has appeared in the June Bulletin pp18-25. Some excerpts appear on this page.
The picture below is a group photograph of the Society taken by our member Fausto Casi. It shows the majority of our party on the steps outside the venue for our civic lunch in Arezzo. It is additional to those included on the official souvenir image CD of the trip prepared by Bob Wismer.
In fact Paolo deserved another medal, or an additional bar at least for putting together such a memorable week. Each day had had a high point and it's only to be hoped that he likes wearing his gong so much that we can persuade him to extend his term of office! - Charles Miller
The anticipations and high expectations which led so many members to apply for this year's Annual Study Trip, though only the first fifty applicants could be included, were more than fulfilled.....This was a most rewarding conference, measured by the number and range of objects studied, the historical background gained and the opportunities to learn from and discuss with our knowledgeable hosts. - Ron Bristow
The complexity, beauty and fine state of preservation of these models [in La Specola museum] was truly amazing. Not only are they wonderful scientific artifacts, but the sensitive and graceful portrayal of the human form in many of the full life figures make them works of art as well. - Simon Cheifetz
The Museum of Officine Galileo shows...the principal products of the firm since its inception. It was interesting to see a wide range of well made late 19th and early 20th century optical, electrical and surveying measuring instruments, often in the familiar design of French or German makers. - Simon Cheifetz
The Ximenian Observatory was formerly run by the Order of Piarist Fathers. These scientists in habits, whose faded photographs line the staircase walls, must have been physically fit. First we ascended a total of 125 steps to the Sala Padre Eugenio Barsanti Padri Scalopi, containing thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, an unusual cloud movement measurer and a solar radiation meter. At the very top of the building is the observatory telescope: The Eddie Cochran song is wrong. It certainly is not three steps to Heaven...and we still had all 159 of them to negotiate on the way down. - Neil Handley
Entering the section for globes [of the Museo di Storia della Scienza] it was difficult to miss the armillary sphere in the centre of the room. it was made by Antonio Santucci in 1588 of metal and wood, covered with gold leaf and is 3.7 metres high. - Louise Muse
Both Paolo Brenni and Anna Giatti were extremely generous throughout the visit [to the Fondazione Scienza e Tecnica] in taking equipment out for closer inspection...and their enthusiasm for demonstrating the equipment in action was shown to the full in one of the trip's highlights, as Paolo demonstrated the use of optical apparatus by Dubosq, Laurent and other notable makers. - Richard Dunn
The 'Moon Clock' in Arezzo is noteworthy in that the representation of the earth is bigger than that of the sun whereas that of the moon is bigger still. It is said that this is because as the moon orbited the clockface it provided vital information to a community concerned with planting and sowing. - Patrick Mill
It seemed impossible that Florence could offer much more, but our Friday visit to the Istituto Geografico Militare proved to be a wonderful climax....Set free we found ourselves in an impressive panelled room with gilt stencils of instruments on either side. These proved to be cupboard doors, behond which lurked a colossal number and range of theodolites. Indeed, according to Signor Santoni, their biggest problem is that rather than have one or two pristine examples of certain models, they have thirty or forty! - Charles Miller