'The University Observatory in Cambridge opened in 1823, after 50 years effort. Key figures in establishing the Observatory, the first non-College Cambridge department, included young mathematical astronomers – George Peacock, John Herschel, and Charles Babbage. Over the next century the focus was optical positional astronomy, generating star catalogues. Controversy included the discovery of Neptune (not in Cambridge) while unsung stories include the 20-year career of the second (after Caroline Herschel) woman employed as a night-time astronomy observer - one among many locally unrecognized women who worked in Cambridge astronomy and later earned international recognition in their fields. We will tell some of their stories.

In the 20th century a long impressively complex and somewhat underhand campaign led to “astrophysics” in Cambridge. The 1909 Chair of Astrophysics was established. 1913 bought a major reorganization, the Astrophysics Chair being endowed and meteorology formalized. The Solar Physics Observatory was transferred from London, establishing “astrophysics” in Cambridge. Meteorological science saw the appointment of C.T.R. Wilson as Observer in Meteorological Physics. Arthur Eddington succeeded George Darwin as Plumian Professor, in principle employed in dynamical astronomy with little support, in fact delivering astrophysics and the 1919 eclipse. By 1946 key positions were vacant, the two Observatories combined into one by the University, the Plumian Chair moved to DAMTP. In 1958 Fred Hoyle became Plumian, establishing, in 1967, IOTA, the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy. In 1972 the merger of the (combined) University Observatories with IOTA created the Institute of Astronomy.

Through this history there are many interesting personalities, some devious stories, many impressive scientific advances. We will introduce a few to give a flavor of these.'