The main text has been collated from Journals and minutes of the Manchester Astronomical Society and its predecessors by Mr Kevin J Kilburn, President of the Society in 1979-81 and again since June 1991, with the assistance of Mr A Cross.

The biography of Mr Francis Godlee (1854-1928) and his portrait have been contributed by Mr Nicholas Godlee, a great-nephew, through the good offices of Mr Richard Godlee.

The account of members' visits to the July 1991 total eclipse in Hawaii and Mexico, and of the spectacular aurora display wtnessed at Wincle, near Macclesfield on 8 November 1991 is contributed by Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, DBE DStJ DL FIMA CRNCM, Lord Mayor of Manchester 1975-76, Freeman of the City, a Vice-President of UMIST 1978-88 and Hon Fellow of the Institute, who took up astronomy in July 1990 prior to the Finland total eclipse and who has undertaken the editorship of this publication.

The astronomy pictures, are reproduced from current members' slides and are described and attributed separately.

January 1992

Part 1

• THE BEGINNING
• THE LIVERPOOL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY AND THE BAA
• THE EARLY MEETINGS OF THE NORTH WESTERN BRANCH
• 1892-1894

Part 2

• FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
• 1895-98
• THE ECLIPSE OF 1898

Part 3

• TWENTIETH CENTURY
• THE MANCHESTER ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
• THE INTER-WAR PERIOD
• THE SECOND WORLD WAR
• POST WAR

Part 4

• SPACE AGE
• PUBLIC RELATIONS
• THE PROFESSIONALS
• THE LECTURERS
• THE SOCIETY INSTRUMENTS
• TELESCOPE MAKING
• ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
• OBSERVATIONAL ASTRONOMY
• THE NEXT GENERATION

Part 5

• Francis Godlee
• A TOTAL ECLIPSE AND AN AURORAL DISPLAY
  • The Total Eclipse of the Sun on 11 July 1991
  • The Aurora of 8 November 1991
• Acknowledgements