Unravelling Starlight: William and Margaret Huggins and the Rise of the New AstronomyChallenging traditional accounts of the origins of astrophysics, this book presents the first scholarly biography of nineteenth-century English amateur astronomer William Huggins (1824–1910). A pioneer in adapting the spectroscope to new astronomical purposes, William Huggins rose to scientific prominence in London and transformed professional astronomy to become a principal founder of the new science of astrophysics. The author re-examines his life and career, exploring unpublished notebooks, correspondence and research projects to expose the boldness of this scientific entrepreneur. While Sir William Huggins is the main focus of the book, the involvement of Lady Margaret Lindsay Huggins (1848–1915) in her husband's research is examined, where it may have been previously overlooked or obscured. Written in an engaging style, this book has broad appeal and will be valuable to scientists, students and anyone interested in the history of astronomy. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 11 | |
3 The young observer | 28 |
4 A sudden impulse | 46 |
5 The riddle of the nebulae | 64 |
6 Moving in the inner circle | 82 |
7 Stellar motion along the line of sight | 104 |
8 A new telescope | 126 |
11 Photographing the solar corona | 192 |
12 A scientific lady | 221 |
13 Foes and allies | 240 |
14 The new astronomy | 267 |
15 One true mistress | 291 |
16 Conclusion | 322 |
Appendix | 328 |
Bibliography | 347 |
Other editions - View all
Unravelling Starlight: William and Margaret Huggins and the Rise of the New ... Barbara J. Becker No preview available - 2017 |
Unravelling Starlight: William and Margaret Huggins and the Rise of the New ... Barbara J. Becker No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
Airy amateur apparatus appeared April astrophysics atmosphere August Box 22 Reel bright lines celestial bodies chemical colour comet dark lines December discovery Draper February Figure Fraunhofer Gill Greenwich Grubb Herschel Holden Huggins and Miller Huggins to Hale Huggins to Larmor Huggins to Stokes Huggins's hydrogen Ibid instruments interest investigation J. N. Lockyer January John Herschel June letter light line of sight London luminous M. L. Huggins March Margaret Huggins Margaret Lindsay Huggins Maxwell meteorites method MNRAS motion Newall Nova November observations October Orion paper photographing the solar physical plates prism PTRSL radium radium glow record Reel 19 refrangible Robinson Royal Society Science scientific Sir William Huggins Sirius solar corona solar eclipse solar prominences solar spectrum spectra spectral lines spectroscope spectrum analysis stellar spectra telescope terrestrial tube Tulse Hill variable stars WCL/SC William Allen Miller William Huggins