Sky and ocean joined : the U.S. Naval Observatory, 1830-2000 / Steven J. Dick.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dick, Steven J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States Naval Observatory--History--19th century.

United States Naval Observatory.

United States Naval Observatory--History--20th century.

Astronomy--United States--History.

Astronomy.

History.

United States.

Physical Description:

xiii, 609 pages : illustrations, maps ; 26 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Summary:

A colorful history of 170 years of scientific discovery at the United States Naval Observatory.

Contents:

Prelude: Perspectives and problems: The nation, the Navy, the stars 5

1. History of astronomy 5

2. History of science in America 12

3. Navigation and the U.S. Navy 15

Part I The founding era, 1830-65

Chapter 1 From Depot to National Observatory, 1830-46 27

1.1 Origins: Goldsborough and the G Street Depot 28

1.2 Struggle: Wilkes and the Capitol Hill Observatory 38

1.3 Success: Gilliss and a permanent observatory 44

Chapter 2 A choice of roles: the Maury years, 1844-61 60

2.1 The setting: Site, building, and instruments 62

2.2 Settling in: Maury and his staff in the formative years, 1844-49 70

2.3 Astronomy versus hydrography: Science, politics, and the Navy in the last decade of the Maury era 98

Chapter 3 Foundations of the American Nautical Almanac Office, 1849-65 118

3.1 Motives for an American nautical almanac 119

3.2 C. H. Davis: Organizing the almanac and the Almanac Office 124

3.3 Opposition and success 132

Chapter 4 Gilliss and the Civil-War years 140

4.1 Trials and triumphs 141

4.2 End of an era 158

Part II The golden era, 1866-93

Chapter 5 Scientific life and work 163

5.1 Administrative concerns 164

5.2 Charting the heavens 173

5.3 Time balls and telegraphs: Time for the nation 181

5.4 Solar-eclipse expeditions 196

Chapter 6 Asaph Hall, the Great Refractor, and the moons of Mars 206

6.1 The Great Refractor 206

6.2 Asaph Hall and the moons of Mars 218

6.3 Aftermath: Hall and the 26-inch refractor after the discovery 232

Chapter 7 William Harkness and the transits of Venus of 1874 and 1882 238

7.1 Motives and preparations: The U. S. Commission on the Transit of Venus 239

7.2 The 1874 expeditions and their results: Newcomb's frustration 255

7.3 The 1882 expeditions and their results: The work of William Harkness 263

Chapter 8 Simon Newcomb and his work 274

8.1 Nautical Almanac computer and Naval Observatory astronomer 275

8.2 Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac Office, 1877-97 281

8.3 Newcomb's legacy 289

Part III The twentieth century

Chapter 9 Observatory Circle: A new site and administrative challenges for the twentieth century 295

9.1 A new site: Origins and development of Observatory Circle 296

9.2 The battle for civilian control 318

9.3 War, depression, and modernization 337

9.4 Post-war and Space-Age administrative developments 347

Chapter 10 Space: The astronomy of position and its uses 358

10.1 The old astronomy meets the new, 1893-1927 359

10.2 Attempts at modernization and origins of the Flagstaff Station, 1927-57 392

10.3 Positional astronomy in the Space Age 414

Chapter 11 Time: A service for the world 451

11.1 Universal Time: Harnessing the Earth clock to 1950 453

11.2 A variety of times: Turning point at mid-century 477

11.3 Time service in the Space Age 487

Chapter 12 Navigation: From stars to satellites 504

12.1 Chronometers and nautical instruments 505

12.2 The Nautical Almanac Office, 1893-1958 507

12.3 From stars to satellites: Into the Space Age 530

Appendix 2 Superintendents, Scientific Directors, and Department Directors of the U. S. Naval Observatory 572

Appendix 3 Selected astronomical instrumentation and standard clocks at the U. S. Naval Observatory, 1844-2000 580

Appendix 4 U. S. Naval Observatory: Six generations of selected personnel 582

Appendix 5 Key legislation related to the Naval Observatory and Nautical Almanac Office 584.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 561-566) and index.

ISBN:

0521815991

OCLC:

48777445

Online:

Publisher description