Parallax

Parallax

This lively history of the struggle to measure the distance to the stars introduces a memorable cast of historical figures, from ancient Greeks to nineteenth-century scientists. Characters include an impoverished boy, plucked from a collapsed building to become the greatest telescope maker in the world; a hot-tempered Dane who loses his nose in a duel over mathematics; a merchant's apprentice, forced to choose between a lucrative career and his passion for astronomy; and other fascinating individuals. Numerous pictures illuminate the stories, and extensive notes offer suggestions for further reading.

Alan Hirshfield

Henry Holt & Co

2001

Engels

GES0994

9-780-7167-3711-7