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Good Books on the History of the Telescope

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#1 Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*

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Posted 25 November 2003 - 03:03 AM

I was writing a paper for my astronomy class about the early history of the telescope and I came across a pretty execptional book by Henry C. King called The History of the Telescope. It has a lot of information and is an interesting read which has that storytelling type feel I sometime get from history books. It also has a good deal of scientific details and although it doesn't require any specific knowlage the reader should be prepared for a slightly technical feel at times. Though it never detracted from and in fact fit into the good story telling feel.

If you want similar though not quite as thorogh infromation from an easier read check out Isaac Asimov's Eyes on the Universe. In my opinion it is not as engaging as King's book but it can still be very rewarding.

And another book by Barbara Land called The Telescope Makers offers an unique perspective on the topic by also including a lot more about the lives of the inventors and how that influenced their work. I haven't read it all but I think that from what I read about Newton it can really flush out the characters and bring things to life. It is definitly a good supplement to either of the other books, as it includes a lot of information left out of them and isn't overly repetitive.


My mother and I are going to take a speed reading course... that should help my reading keep up with my brain so I don't lose interest too easily.

Wish me luck! :grin:

#2 KennyJ

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Posted 26 November 2003 - 06:32 PM

Good luck with the speed reading courses Squeak Household!

My nomination "Seeing and Believing" by Richard Panek is strictly speaking , not perhaps a "great book about the History of the Telescope" in the same way that the Henry C. King classic is deservedly cassified , but in a different way a "great book" written by a very skilful and interesting writer who engages the reader with a chronicle of how our universe has being constantly proved to be increasingly larger and more complex than previous generations believed by means of scientific progression of telescope technology .

The bigger and more complex our universe and our telescopes turn out to be , the smaller and more humble we the tenants of this increasingly relatively diminuitive planet earth are becoming .

To that end the book could be described as having more to offer about how telescopes and the people who have made them famous have changed the human outlook than about telescope technology itself , yet there is sufficient material , almost on every page , to keep the telescope enthususiast interested enough such that the section of the front cover subtitle "The Story of the Telescope " is well justified.

Last time I checked availability of the book could be confirmed via www.4thestate.co.uk

clear skies -- Kenny .

#3 Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*

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Posted 27 November 2003 - 11:35 AM

Haha, actually I took that book out of the library but I can seem to find it:/ Thanks for renewing (pun definitly intended) my interest in it since I probably would have returned it without ever opening it.

Maybe it's under here? Nope... hmm maybe over there?

#4 Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*

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Posted 27 November 2003 - 01:42 PM

I just picked up a copy of Coming of Age in the Milky Way by Timothy Ferris. I hope it is a good read for these cloudy and rainy nights (when I'm not yakking on this forum!).

#5 Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*

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Posted 01 December 2003 - 02:52 PM

Bell's THE TELESCOPE, though rather long in the tooth now, is an excellent overview of the basic types of telescopes. If you want to learn a little about optical design and theory, it's a good place to start. It requires no technical knowledge, though you'll have some when you're done reading it. Since it's a Dover book, it should be cheap and available.

#6 Starman1

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 01:05 PM

Also try:
"The Telescope", 1981, Louis Bell
and
"Seeing and Believing: How the Telescope Opened Our Eyes and Minds to the Heavens" 1998, Richard Panek
These are both worthwhile additions to the books you mentioned

#7 Starman1

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 01:07 PM

Sorry, I need to read the entire thread before I respond. Obviously, other erudite forum lurkers have also recommended these books.
Sorry.

#8 desertstars

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 02:30 PM

So many threads, so little time... It happens! :lol:

#9 ngc6475

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Posted 23 August 2004 - 09:07 PM

Do any of these books address the earliest history of optics and telescopes? I read recently that Galileo never claimed to have made the first simple telescope, and experiments with this device had been attempted at different places, and at different times. I would be interested in knowing more about this.

#10 Nauset

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Posted 11 September 2004 - 09:03 PM

Yes Walter, Galileo did not invent the first telescope. He was Dutch. I don't know the spelling, but I believe it's pronounced 'Lumpshaft'. But I also read last month that there is now some dispute about him being the first so... :shrug:

#11 The Meal

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Posted 13 September 2004 - 08:10 AM

I'm far from an expert, but I have been dabbling in the history of observational astronomy (thanks, well-stocked local public library!) of late -- although mostly in the Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, Huygens, ... era. Anyway, my understanding is that, like most things in that era, it's a case of everything old is new again, and that the Ionians or Chinese cultures had put lenses to the skies much before the renaissance scientists decided to do it again for themselves. Just like Eratosthenes' understanding of Earth's geometry (c. 250 BC) was dismissed for a thousand-plus years of the dark ages, our understanding of optics in relation to the skies was another piece of understanding which was left beind only to be rediscovered/reinvented...

I may be mistaken, however. And even if I'm correct, you're probably still interested in Galileo's predecessor's place in history anyway.

Fascinating stuff!

#12 Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*

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Posted 01 November 2004 - 09:57 AM

Although it only concentrates on one maker, I found that "Alvan Clarke Telescopes" was amarvellous book, not only dealing with the huge refractors they made, but also the smaller instruments. You'll find it advertised in S&T, and is well worth buying

#13 Gordon E Reade

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Posted 09 December 2004 - 04:32 PM

Here is a link to one of the best books I have ever read, and I don't mean one of the best astronomy books. I mean one of the best books on any subject.

http://www.amazon.co...=glance&s=books

It takes you into the lives of the people who built the 200 inch telescope. After reading the book you feel as if you know them. That makes the telescope all the more incredable.

Gordon


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