Minding the heavens : the story of our discovery of the Milky Way / Leila Belkora.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Belkora, Leila.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Astronomy--History.

Astronomy.

History.

Astronomers.

Milky Way.

Galaxies.

Physical Description:

x, 406 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Bristol ; Philadelphia : Institute of Physics, [2003]

Summary:

This book is about how scientists discovered that we lived in a galaxy, in fact, a universe full of galaxies. This fascinating story of the discovery of our own and other galaxies is told through the lives of seven astronomers: Thomas Wright, William Herschel, Wilhelm Struve, William Huggins, Jacobus Kapteyn, Harlow Shapley, and Edwin Hubble. From the mid 1700s with Thomas Wright through to the mid 20th century with the more familiar names of Shapley and Hubble, each character brings us nearer to our present understanding of the Universe.

Contents:

2 The Naked-Eye View of the Sky 14

3 Thomas Wright: Visionary of Stellar Systems 35

4 William Herschel: Natural Historian of the Universe 74

5 Wilhelm Struve: Seeker of Parallax 120

6 William Huggins: Pioneer of the New Astronomy 165

7 Jacobus Kapteyn: Mastermind Without a Telescope 206

8 Harlow Shapley: Champion of the Big Galaxy 245

9 Edwin Hubble: Redeemer of Island Universes 293

10 The Milky Way Revealed 347.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 385-392) and index.

ISBN:

0750307307

OCLC:

51482227