12 replies to this topic

[KennyJ]

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 .

[Starman1]

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

[Starman1]

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

[desertstars]

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

[ngc6475]

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.

[Nauset]

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...

[The Meal]

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!

[Gordon E Reade]

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