George Basalla
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171815
- eISBN:
- 9780199786862
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171815.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
This book records the long scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Although philosophical speculation about alien civilizations dates to antiquity, the invention of the telescope ...
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This book records the long scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Although philosophical speculation about alien civilizations dates to antiquity, the invention of the telescope in the 17th century inspired scientists like Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, René Descartes, and Christiaan Huygens to consider the possibility of intelligent creatures living on the Moon or on the planets of our solar system. By the late 19th century, Mars became the focus of attention for astronomers searching for civilized life near the earth. The belief that Mars contained a superior civilization capable of building a global system of irrigation canals on the planet was supported by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli and the American Percival Lowell. In the 1960s and 1970s, data gathered by Soviet and American spacecraft challenged the assumption that Mars was the habitat for life of any sort. As the hunt for alien civilizations in the solar system waned, a new search began for signs of intelligent life in remote parts of the universe. This search used radio telescopes to scan the skies for any messages transmitted to earth by advanced extraterrestrial civilizations. Distinguished modern astronomers and physicists — Frank Drake, Philip Morrison, Carl Sagan — were convinced that electronic technology would allow contact with civilizations located many light years from earth. Unfortunately, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence was compromised by anthropomorphism (attributing human qualities to alien life and culture) and by an unconscious religious outlook that the superior beings living in outer space would help solve pressing social, economic, and technological problems.Less
This book records the long scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Although philosophical speculation about alien civilizations dates to antiquity, the invention of the telescope in the 17th century inspired scientists like Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, René Descartes, and Christiaan Huygens to consider the possibility of intelligent creatures living on the Moon or on the planets of our solar system. By the late 19th century, Mars became the focus of attention for astronomers searching for civilized life near the earth. The belief that Mars contained a superior civilization capable of building a global system of irrigation canals on the planet was supported by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli and the American Percival Lowell. In the 1960s and 1970s, data gathered by Soviet and American spacecraft challenged the assumption that Mars was the habitat for life of any sort. As the hunt for alien civilizations in the solar system waned, a new search began for signs of intelligent life in remote parts of the universe. This search used radio telescopes to scan the skies for any messages transmitted to earth by advanced extraterrestrial civilizations. Distinguished modern astronomers and physicists — Frank Drake, Philip Morrison, Carl Sagan — were convinced that electronic technology would allow contact with civilizations located many light years from earth. Unfortunately, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence was compromised by anthropomorphism (attributing human qualities to alien life and culture) and by an unconscious religious outlook that the superior beings living in outer space would help solve pressing social, economic, and technological problems.
Željko Ivezic, Andrew J. Connolly, Jacob T VanderPlas, and Alexander Gray
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691151687
- eISBN:
- 9781400848911
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691151687.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology
As telescopes, detectors, and computers grow ever more powerful, the volume of data at the disposal of astronomers and astrophysicists will enter the petabyte domain, providing accurate measurements ...
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As telescopes, detectors, and computers grow ever more powerful, the volume of data at the disposal of astronomers and astrophysicists will enter the petabyte domain, providing accurate measurements for billions of celestial objects. This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the cutting-edge statistical methods needed to efficiently analyze complex data sets from astronomical surveys such as the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, the Dark Energy Survey, and the upcoming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. It serves as a practical handbook for graduate students and advanced undergraduates in physics and astronomy, and as an indispensable reference for researchers. The book presents a wealth of practical analysis problems, evaluates techniques for solving them, and explains how to use various approaches for different types and sizes of data sets. For all applications described in the book, Python code and example data sets are provided. The supporting data sets have been carefully selected from contemporary astronomical surveys (for example, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey) and are easy to download and use. The accompanying Python code is publicly available, well documented, and follows uniform coding standards. Together, the data sets and code enable readers to reproduce all the figures and examples, evaluate the methods, and adapt them to their own fields of interest.Less
As telescopes, detectors, and computers grow ever more powerful, the volume of data at the disposal of astronomers and astrophysicists will enter the petabyte domain, providing accurate measurements for billions of celestial objects. This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the cutting-edge statistical methods needed to efficiently analyze complex data sets from astronomical surveys such as the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, the Dark Energy Survey, and the upcoming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. It serves as a practical handbook for graduate students and advanced undergraduates in physics and astronomy, and as an indispensable reference for researchers. The book presents a wealth of practical analysis problems, evaluates techniques for solving them, and explains how to use various approaches for different types and sizes of data sets. For all applications described in the book, Python code and example data sets are provided. The supporting data sets have been carefully selected from contemporary astronomical surveys (for example, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey) and are easy to download and use. The accompanying Python code is publicly available, well documented, and follows uniform coding standards. Together, the data sets and code enable readers to reproduce all the figures and examples, evaluate the methods, and adapt them to their own fields of interest.
Vladilen Letokhov and Sveneric Johansson
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199548279
- eISBN:
- 9780191720512
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199548279.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Atomic, Laser, and Optical Physics
Progress in modern radio astronomy led to the discovery of space masers in the microwave range, and it became a powerful tool for studies of interstellar star-forming molecular clouds. Progress in ...
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Progress in modern radio astronomy led to the discovery of space masers in the microwave range, and it became a powerful tool for studies of interstellar star-forming molecular clouds. Progress in observational astronomy, particularly with ground-based huge telescopes and the space-based Hubble Space Telescope, has led to recent discoveries of space lasers in the optical range. These operate in gas condensations in the vicinity of the mysterious star Eta Carinae (one of the most luminous and massive stars of our Galaxy). Both maser and laser effects, first demonstrated under laboratory conditions, have now been discovered to occur under natural conditions in space too. This book describes consistently the elements of laser science, astrophysical plasmas, modern astronomical observation techniques, and the fundamentals and properties of astrophysical lasers.Less
Progress in modern radio astronomy led to the discovery of space masers in the microwave range, and it became a powerful tool for studies of interstellar star-forming molecular clouds. Progress in observational astronomy, particularly with ground-based huge telescopes and the space-based Hubble Space Telescope, has led to recent discoveries of space lasers in the optical range. These operate in gas condensations in the vicinity of the mysterious star Eta Carinae (one of the most luminous and massive stars of our Galaxy). Both maser and laser effects, first demonstrated under laboratory conditions, have now been discovered to occur under natural conditions in space too. This book describes consistently the elements of laser science, astrophysical plasmas, modern astronomical observation techniques, and the fundamentals and properties of astrophysical lasers.
Martin van Creveld
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199599486
- eISBN:
- 9780191595806
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199599486.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics, Political Theory
This chapter demonstrates that the emergence of campaigns, made possible by a certain size of military formations, in essence opened the way for the operational level of war, operational warfare, and ...
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This chapter demonstrates that the emergence of campaigns, made possible by a certain size of military formations, in essence opened the way for the operational level of war, operational warfare, and operational art. The complexity of campaigns, especially those that took place along broad fronts and covered large distances, accentuated the role of effective control, which, in turn, brought into play a new dimension of warfare. The historical factors that ushered the operational dimension into the world were the French Revolution and the levee en masse, and the man who presided over its birth was Napoleon Bonaparte. The revolution in military affairs owed very little to technology per se; it was a result of ‘the God of War’ combining the corps d'armée system and imperial headquarters with the principle of the ‘directed telescope’.Less
This chapter demonstrates that the emergence of campaigns, made possible by a certain size of military formations, in essence opened the way for the operational level of war, operational warfare, and operational art. The complexity of campaigns, especially those that took place along broad fronts and covered large distances, accentuated the role of effective control, which, in turn, brought into play a new dimension of warfare. The historical factors that ushered the operational dimension into the world were the French Revolution and the levee en masse, and the man who presided over its birth was Napoleon Bonaparte. The revolution in military affairs owed very little to technology per se; it was a result of ‘the God of War’ combining the corps d'armée system and imperial headquarters with the principle of the ‘directed telescope’.
James Davidson
- Published in print:
- 1994
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198774037
- eISBN:
- 9780191596117
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198774036.003.0016
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Econometrics
Mixingales are an asymptotic generalization of the martingale concept. This chapter defines them and reviews their properties, discussing the telescoping sum representation, and the important ...
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Mixingales are an asymptotic generalization of the martingale concept. This chapter defines them and reviews their properties, discussing the telescoping sum representation, and the important mixingale inequalities. The most important result for subsequent applications is the uniform square integrability of mixingale sums.Less
Mixingales are an asymptotic generalization of the martingale concept. This chapter defines them and reviews their properties, discussing the telescoping sum representation, and the important mixingale inequalities. The most important result for subsequent applications is the uniform square integrability of mixingale sums.
George Basalla
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171815
- eISBN:
- 9780199786862
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171815.003.0002
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
Life on the Moon — an old notion — was revived by the astronomical work of Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century and the invention of the optical telescope in the early 17th century. Galileo ...
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Life on the Moon — an old notion — was revived by the astronomical work of Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century and the invention of the optical telescope in the early 17th century. Galileo Galilei reluctantly, and Johannes Kepler enthusiastically and in great detail, described lunar life and society using data collected by telescopic observation. Renewed interest in the Moon led to the making of the first detailed lunar maps.Less
Life on the Moon — an old notion — was revived by the astronomical work of Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century and the invention of the optical telescope in the early 17th century. Galileo Galilei reluctantly, and Johannes Kepler enthusiastically and in great detail, described lunar life and society using data collected by telescopic observation. Renewed interest in the Moon led to the making of the first detailed lunar maps.
George Basalla
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171815
- eISBN:
- 9780199786862
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171815.003.0008
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
In the 1930s, astronomer Edwin P. Hubble and others claimed that we lived in an expanding universe filled with galaxies containing billion of stars. At about the same time, Karl G. Jansky invented ...
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In the 1930s, astronomer Edwin P. Hubble and others claimed that we lived in an expanding universe filled with galaxies containing billion of stars. At about the same time, Karl G. Jansky invented the radio telescope that detected radio waves naturally emitted by astronomical bodies. Pioneer radio astronomer Frank Drake realized that radio telescopes could also be used to search for radio messages transmitted by distant, advanced civilizations. He then proposed Drake’s equation for calculating the number of civilizations in our galaxy able to transmit and receive radio signals. These developments raised questions about the proper radio frequencies to use in searching for extraterrestrial messages (Giuseppe Cocconi, Philip Morrison), the identification of astroengineering projects of alien civilizations (Freeman Dyson), and the ranking of extraterrestrial civilizations according to the amount of energy they controlled (Nicolai S. Kardashev).Less
In the 1930s, astronomer Edwin P. Hubble and others claimed that we lived in an expanding universe filled with galaxies containing billion of stars. At about the same time, Karl G. Jansky invented the radio telescope that detected radio waves naturally emitted by astronomical bodies. Pioneer radio astronomer Frank Drake realized that radio telescopes could also be used to search for radio messages transmitted by distant, advanced civilizations. He then proposed Drake’s equation for calculating the number of civilizations in our galaxy able to transmit and receive radio signals. These developments raised questions about the proper radio frequencies to use in searching for extraterrestrial messages (Giuseppe Cocconi, Philip Morrison), the identification of astroengineering projects of alien civilizations (Freeman Dyson), and the ranking of extraterrestrial civilizations according to the amount of energy they controlled (Nicolai S. Kardashev).
Sarbani Basu and William J. Chaplin
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691162928
- eISBN:
- 9781400888207
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691162928.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology
Studies of stars and stellar populations, and the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, are being revolutionized by new satellite and telescope observations of unprecedented quality and ...
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Studies of stars and stellar populations, and the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, are being revolutionized by new satellite and telescope observations of unprecedented quality and scope. Some of the most significant advances have been in the field of asteroseismology, the study of stars by observation of their oscillations. This book gives a comprehensive technical introduction to this discipline. It not only helps students and researchers learn about asteroseismology; it also serves as an essential instruction manual for those entering the field. The book presents readers with the foundational techniques used in the analysis and interpretation of asteroseismic data on cool stars that show solar-like oscillations. The techniques have been refined, and in some cases developed, to analyze asteroseismic data collected by the NASA Kepler mission. Topics range from the analysis of time-series observations to extract seismic data for stars to the use of those data to determine global and internal properties of the stars. Reading lists and problem sets are provided, and data necessary for the problem sets are available online.Less
Studies of stars and stellar populations, and the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, are being revolutionized by new satellite and telescope observations of unprecedented quality and scope. Some of the most significant advances have been in the field of asteroseismology, the study of stars by observation of their oscillations. This book gives a comprehensive technical introduction to this discipline. It not only helps students and researchers learn about asteroseismology; it also serves as an essential instruction manual for those entering the field. The book presents readers with the foundational techniques used in the analysis and interpretation of asteroseismic data on cool stars that show solar-like oscillations. The techniques have been refined, and in some cases developed, to analyze asteroseismic data collected by the NASA Kepler mission. Topics range from the analysis of time-series observations to extract seismic data for stars to the use of those data to determine global and internal properties of the stars. Reading lists and problem sets are provided, and data necessary for the problem sets are available online.
Howard Marchitello
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199608058
- eISBN:
- 9780191729492
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199608058.003.0004
- Subject:
- Literature, 16th-century and Renaissance Literature, Shakespeare Studies
This chapter discusses one of the great revolutions in early modern cosmology: the discovery of blemishes on the sun. In his Letters on Sunspots, Galileo understood these spots to constitute ...
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This chapter discusses one of the great revolutions in early modern cosmology: the discovery of blemishes on the sun. In his Letters on Sunspots, Galileo understood these spots to constitute definitive proof against the Aristotelian belief in a perfect universe. The detection of sunspots was enabled by Galileo's adaptation of the terrestrial telescope to celestial observation. But within this set of technical practices, sunspots are made “real” only by the very technology that enabled observation in the first place. Sunspots were “invented” by the telescope and the technologies of representation deployed in order to make them manifest both to the observer and—through print—to his readers. Galileo's sunspots trouble the conventional understanding of the relation between vision and belief. Rather than serving as an instance of sight conferring belief, these sunspots demonstrate the ways in which belief is first required in order that there can be a confirming vision.Less
This chapter discusses one of the great revolutions in early modern cosmology: the discovery of blemishes on the sun. In his Letters on Sunspots, Galileo understood these spots to constitute definitive proof against the Aristotelian belief in a perfect universe. The detection of sunspots was enabled by Galileo's adaptation of the terrestrial telescope to celestial observation. But within this set of technical practices, sunspots are made “real” only by the very technology that enabled observation in the first place. Sunspots were “invented” by the telescope and the technologies of representation deployed in order to make them manifest both to the observer and—through print—to his readers. Galileo's sunspots trouble the conventional understanding of the relation between vision and belief. Rather than serving as an instance of sight conferring belief, these sunspots demonstrate the ways in which belief is first required in order that there can be a confirming vision.
I.S. GLASS
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199550258
- eISBN:
- 9780191718700
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199550258.003.0002
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
This chapter discusses Galileo Galilei's biography and private life. It notes that Galileo first became interested in the connection between mathematics and the measurement of quantities such as mass ...
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This chapter discusses Galileo Galilei's biography and private life. It notes that Galileo first became interested in the connection between mathematics and the measurement of quantities such as mass and dimensions of bodies. It states some of Galileo's greatest achievements. It explains that one of his most important innovations was to clearly distinguish between constant speed and acceleration, or rate of change of speed. It adds that Galileo was also known to have been interested in Copernican astronomy. This chapter also examines the invention of the telescope, as well as his study of the moon and sunspots. It then tells of the clerical oppositions experienced by Galileo particularly the trial that he faced regarding a vehement suspicion of heresy. It examines Galileo's last work: strength of materials and mechanics. Lastly, it talks about Galileo's last years and the hardships that he faced during these last fulfilling years.Less
This chapter discusses Galileo Galilei's biography and private life. It notes that Galileo first became interested in the connection between mathematics and the measurement of quantities such as mass and dimensions of bodies. It states some of Galileo's greatest achievements. It explains that one of his most important innovations was to clearly distinguish between constant speed and acceleration, or rate of change of speed. It adds that Galileo was also known to have been interested in Copernican astronomy. This chapter also examines the invention of the telescope, as well as his study of the moon and sunspots. It then tells of the clerical oppositions experienced by Galileo particularly the trial that he faced regarding a vehement suspicion of heresy. It examines Galileo's last work: strength of materials and mechanics. Lastly, it talks about Galileo's last years and the hardships that he faced during these last fulfilling years.
I.S. GLASS
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199550258
- eISBN:
- 9780191718700
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199550258.003.0003
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
This chapter begins by discussing Isaac Newton's biography and private life. It notes some of Newton's traits, which allowed him to face all the hurdles that came his way. It investigates how he ...
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This chapter begins by discussing Isaac Newton's biography and private life. It notes some of Newton's traits, which allowed him to face all the hurdles that came his way. It investigates how he developed his interest in the logical consistency in nature like the daily variations of the tides and the extent of the Moon's influence. It states that it was during the Bubonic plague years that he developed most of his basic mathematical ideas but remained secretive and failed to publicise them. It investigates how derived ideas such as the laws of motion and gravity. It also talks about his construction of the first reflecting telescope. This chapter also discusses how Newton gained recognition from his fellow researchers and how he tried to make more achievements, the Principia and the Opticks. It tells of some of the social acquaintances that Newton has made throughout his life as a scientist.Less
This chapter begins by discussing Isaac Newton's biography and private life. It notes some of Newton's traits, which allowed him to face all the hurdles that came his way. It investigates how he developed his interest in the logical consistency in nature like the daily variations of the tides and the extent of the Moon's influence. It states that it was during the Bubonic plague years that he developed most of his basic mathematical ideas but remained secretive and failed to publicise them. It investigates how derived ideas such as the laws of motion and gravity. It also talks about his construction of the first reflecting telescope. This chapter also discusses how Newton gained recognition from his fellow researchers and how he tried to make more achievements, the Principia and the Opticks. It tells of some of the social acquaintances that Newton has made throughout his life as a scientist.
I.S. GLASS
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199550258
- eISBN:
- 9780191718700
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199550258.003.0004
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
This chapter begins by giving a brief description about William Herschel's family and his private life. It explains that despite their poverty, the Herschels were very conscious of the value of good ...
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This chapter begins by giving a brief description about William Herschel's family and his private life. It explains that despite their poverty, the Herschels were very conscious of the value of good education. It describes Herschel as a determined boy who was willing to do any kind of work just to earn money. It narrates William's love for building telescopes; this made him a famous astronomer and was his fuel for building his own telescope-making business. It adds that his approach to astronomy was something quite new and how his approach led to his discovery of the planet Uranus. It also tells of how was able to receive a state income from King George III so that he would no longer have to spend most of his time earning money as a musician. It discusses William's other discoveries and investigates the life of William's son, John Frederick.Less
This chapter begins by giving a brief description about William Herschel's family and his private life. It explains that despite their poverty, the Herschels were very conscious of the value of good education. It describes Herschel as a determined boy who was willing to do any kind of work just to earn money. It narrates William's love for building telescopes; this made him a famous astronomer and was his fuel for building his own telescope-making business. It adds that his approach to astronomy was something quite new and how his approach led to his discovery of the planet Uranus. It also tells of how was able to receive a state income from King George III so that he would no longer have to spend most of his time earning money as a musician. It discusses William's other discoveries and investigates the life of William's son, John Frederick.
I.S. GLASS
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199550258
- eISBN:
- 9780191718700
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199550258.003.0006
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
This chapter begins by discussing the biography of George Ellery Hale's family. It then describes George's early years, his school life, and how his interest in astronomy was aroused. It narrates how ...
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This chapter begins by discussing the biography of George Ellery Hale's family. It then describes George's early years, his school life, and how his interest in astronomy was aroused. It narrates how George invented the spectroheliograph and the discovery of the flocculi. It tells of how George obtained popularity in the field of astronomy and the construction of his own observatory in Kenwood. This chapter also discusses several of his discoveries at Kenwood and his invention of the largest refracting telescope ever made. It mentions George's construction of the solar telescope and his aim to find out if the sun had an overall magnetic field. It then describes the hardships that Hale faced when he began to suffer from nervousness and an inability to sleep or concentrate. It tells of Hale's work in Mount Wilson.Less
This chapter begins by discussing the biography of George Ellery Hale's family. It then describes George's early years, his school life, and how his interest in astronomy was aroused. It narrates how George invented the spectroheliograph and the discovery of the flocculi. It tells of how George obtained popularity in the field of astronomy and the construction of his own observatory in Kenwood. This chapter also discusses several of his discoveries at Kenwood and his invention of the largest refracting telescope ever made. It mentions George's construction of the solar telescope and his aim to find out if the sun had an overall magnetic field. It then describes the hardships that Hale faced when he began to suffer from nervousness and an inability to sleep or concentrate. It tells of Hale's work in Mount Wilson.
Abraham Loeb and Steven R. Furlanetto
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691144917
- eISBN:
- 9781400845606
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691144917.003.0010
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology
This chapter details the study of high-redshift galaxies. It first outlines the telescopes used for observing these galaxies: the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and its follow ups, as well as the ...
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This chapter details the study of high-redshift galaxies. It first outlines the telescopes used for observing these galaxies: the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and its follow ups, as well as the next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Next, the chapter discusses the methods for isolating candidate high-redshift galaxies from the foreground population of feeble lower-redshift galaxies. After outlining the observational techniques for identifying high-redshift galaxies, the chapter turns to the luminosity and mass functions, before enumerating strategies to constrain the statistical properties of galaxies, including “one point functions” like the luminosity or stellar mass functions as well as spatial correlations.Less
This chapter details the study of high-redshift galaxies. It first outlines the telescopes used for observing these galaxies: the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and its follow ups, as well as the next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Next, the chapter discusses the methods for isolating candidate high-redshift galaxies from the foreground population of feeble lower-redshift galaxies. After outlining the observational techniques for identifying high-redshift galaxies, the chapter turns to the luminosity and mass functions, before enumerating strategies to constrain the statistical properties of galaxies, including “one point functions” like the luminosity or stellar mass functions as well as spatial correlations.
Elizabeth A. Kessler
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780816679560
- eISBN:
- 9781452947914
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816679560.003.0006
- Subject:
- Art, Photography
As way of closing, I would like to consider a short story by the writer and chemist Primo Levi. “A Tranquil Star” is, as its author suggests, “a fable that awakens echoes, and in which each of us can ...
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As way of closing, I would like to consider a short story by the writer and chemist Primo Levi. “A Tranquil Star” is, as its author suggests, “a fable that awakens echoes, and in which each of us can perceive distant reflections of himself and of the human race.”1 In a few concise pages, Levi tells the tale of a very distant and peaceful star around which several planets orbit. For whatever unknown reason, the star is not a typical one. In what he terms the “convulsive death-resurrection of stars,” it becomes a nova, exploding in a matter of hours and consuming the planets that surround it. Levi recounts the destructions without embellishment, yet the facts—boiling oceans, crumbling mountains, vaporized worlds—have traditionally been associated with the sublime. Among those destroyed, he speculates, may have been “all the poets and wise men who had perhaps examined the sky, and had wondered what was the value of so many little lights, and had found no answer” (160). For Levi, the answer seems to be, at least in part, a recognition of the insignificance of any one of those poets or wise men.Less
As way of closing, I would like to consider a short story by the writer and chemist Primo Levi. “A Tranquil Star” is, as its author suggests, “a fable that awakens echoes, and in which each of us can perceive distant reflections of himself and of the human race.”1 In a few concise pages, Levi tells the tale of a very distant and peaceful star around which several planets orbit. For whatever unknown reason, the star is not a typical one. In what he terms the “convulsive death-resurrection of stars,” it becomes a nova, exploding in a matter of hours and consuming the planets that surround it. Levi recounts the destructions without embellishment, yet the facts—boiling oceans, crumbling mountains, vaporized worlds—have traditionally been associated with the sublime. Among those destroyed, he speculates, may have been “all the poets and wise men who had perhaps examined the sky, and had wondered what was the value of so many little lights, and had found no answer” (160). For Levi, the answer seems to be, at least in part, a recognition of the insignificance of any one of those poets or wise men.
Robert S. Westman
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520254817
- eISBN:
- 9780520948167
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520254817.003.0018
- Subject:
- History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
The Copernican question is a subset of a larger problem: How did modernizers win credibility for new theoretical knowledge? This chapter examines some recent, alternative proposals, with special ...
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The Copernican question is a subset of a larger problem: How did modernizers win credibility for new theoretical knowledge? This chapter examines some recent, alternative proposals, with special focus on Galileo. There are two central issues. One concerns the nature and centrality of patronage as a kind of early modern sociability, the other the degree to which court sociabilities or aristocratic status in some way gave legitimacy to conditions of belief. The chapter first discusses theoretical knowledge and scholarly reputation of celestial practitioners, then describes patron-centered heavenly knowledge. It also looks at Galileo and the aristocratic sphere of learned sociability, sociabilities in the Medici court in Florence, Galileo's decision to leave Padua for Florence, his detection of novel appearances using the telescope, and the reactions of Raffaelo Gualterotti and Giovanni Battista Manso to Galileo's discoveries.Less
The Copernican question is a subset of a larger problem: How did modernizers win credibility for new theoretical knowledge? This chapter examines some recent, alternative proposals, with special focus on Galileo. There are two central issues. One concerns the nature and centrality of patronage as a kind of early modern sociability, the other the degree to which court sociabilities or aristocratic status in some way gave legitimacy to conditions of belief. The chapter first discusses theoretical knowledge and scholarly reputation of celestial practitioners, then describes patron-centered heavenly knowledge. It also looks at Galileo and the aristocratic sphere of learned sociability, sociabilities in the Medici court in Florence, Galileo's decision to leave Padua for Florence, his detection of novel appearances using the telescope, and the reactions of Raffaelo Gualterotti and Giovanni Battista Manso to Galileo's discoveries.
Robert S. Westman
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520254817
- eISBN:
- 9780520948167
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520254817.003.0019
- Subject:
- History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Some influential interpreters of his first major printed book, Sidereus Nuncius, have underscored Galileo's straightforward empiricist style in reporting observations and avoiding aggressive, ...
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Some influential interpreters of his first major printed book, Sidereus Nuncius, have underscored Galileo's straightforward empiricist style in reporting observations and avoiding aggressive, systematic theorizing. An important function of this reading has been to dissociate Galileo from the Copernican convictions that he so clearly expressed in the 1597 letters to Jacopo Mazzoni and Johannes Kepler. Richard Westfall and Mario Biagioli proposed that Galileo's downplaying of cosmology involved a proximate political consideration; in Westfall's words, he “saw the telescope more as an instrument of patronage than as an instrument of astronomy.” This chapter examines how Galileo's telescope and Sidereus Nuncius, together or separately, succeeded first in stabilizing the representations of the heavens that Galileo promoted and how this outcome affected the Copernican question. It also discusses Galileo's return to Florence and his negotiations with the Tuscan court in May 1610, John Wedderburn's “refutation” (confutatio) of Martin Horky's “four problems against the Nuncius Sidereus,” and Galileo's novelties and the Jesuits.Less
Some influential interpreters of his first major printed book, Sidereus Nuncius, have underscored Galileo's straightforward empiricist style in reporting observations and avoiding aggressive, systematic theorizing. An important function of this reading has been to dissociate Galileo from the Copernican convictions that he so clearly expressed in the 1597 letters to Jacopo Mazzoni and Johannes Kepler. Richard Westfall and Mario Biagioli proposed that Galileo's downplaying of cosmology involved a proximate political consideration; in Westfall's words, he “saw the telescope more as an instrument of patronage than as an instrument of astronomy.” This chapter examines how Galileo's telescope and Sidereus Nuncius, together or separately, succeeded first in stabilizing the representations of the heavens that Galileo promoted and how this outcome affected the Copernican question. It also discusses Galileo's return to Florence and his negotiations with the Tuscan court in May 1610, John Wedderburn's “refutation” (confutatio) of Martin Horky's “four problems against the Nuncius Sidereus,” and Galileo's novelties and the Jesuits.
Sophie Gilmartin and Rod Mengham
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780748632657
- eISBN:
- 9780748651641
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748632657.003.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, 19th-century and Victorian Literature
This chapter examines the stories in Thomas Hardy's Wessex Tales. It notes that most of the stories are set at least thirty-five years before their telling in the volume, and that ‘Wessex’ is ...
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This chapter examines the stories in Thomas Hardy's Wessex Tales. It notes that most of the stories are set at least thirty-five years before their telling in the volume, and that ‘Wessex’ is described as an environment where uncluttered spaces provided freedom of movement. The chapter first discusses Hardy's verbal descriptions, which were influenced by his experiences with viewing the landscape through big brass telescopes. It reveals that Hardy's experience at Rushy-Pond – along with his telescope – was part of his inspiration for his stories in Wessex Tales. The chapter then shows how the telescope serves to figuratively and practically emphasise Hardy's focus on his object, which leaves everything else temporarily invisible. The rest of the chapter examines certain aspects of the stories in Wessex Tales, including the importance of the human figure, the role of the executioner, the allusions to galvanism and photography, and rivalry between women.Less
This chapter examines the stories in Thomas Hardy's Wessex Tales. It notes that most of the stories are set at least thirty-five years before their telling in the volume, and that ‘Wessex’ is described as an environment where uncluttered spaces provided freedom of movement. The chapter first discusses Hardy's verbal descriptions, which were influenced by his experiences with viewing the landscape through big brass telescopes. It reveals that Hardy's experience at Rushy-Pond – along with his telescope – was part of his inspiration for his stories in Wessex Tales. The chapter then shows how the telescope serves to figuratively and practically emphasise Hardy's focus on his object, which leaves everything else temporarily invisible. The rest of the chapter examines certain aspects of the stories in Wessex Tales, including the importance of the human figure, the role of the executioner, the allusions to galvanism and photography, and rivalry between women.
Nicholas Mee
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198831860
- eISBN:
- 9780191869785
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198831860.003.0014
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology, History of Physics
The world’s biggest telescopes are reflectors and every increase in size has given us a new perspective on the universe. The Rosse telescope, built in the middle of the nineteenth century by Lord ...
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The world’s biggest telescopes are reflectors and every increase in size has given us a new perspective on the universe. The Rosse telescope, built in the middle of the nineteenth century by Lord Rosse in County Offaly, Ireland, was nicknamed the Leviathan of Parsonstown. It was the world’s biggest telescope for over half a century. Rosse’s drawings of the celestial objects that he viewed through the telescope were widely circulated. His drawing of the Whirlpool Galaxy is thought to have inspired Van Gogh’s painting Starry Night. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is now constructing the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in Chile. It will be the largest telescope in the world when completed.Less
The world’s biggest telescopes are reflectors and every increase in size has given us a new perspective on the universe. The Rosse telescope, built in the middle of the nineteenth century by Lord Rosse in County Offaly, Ireland, was nicknamed the Leviathan of Parsonstown. It was the world’s biggest telescope for over half a century. Rosse’s drawings of the celestial objects that he viewed through the telescope were widely circulated. His drawing of the Whirlpool Galaxy is thought to have inspired Van Gogh’s painting Starry Night. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is now constructing the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in Chile. It will be the largest telescope in the world when completed.
Nicholas Mee
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198831860
- eISBN:
- 9780191869785
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198831860.003.0020
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology, History of Physics
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is aiming to image the event horizon of the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. Andrea Ghez has mapped out the orbits of stars around this ...
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The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is aiming to image the event horizon of the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. Andrea Ghez has mapped out the orbits of stars around this supermassive black hole and deduced it has a mass of four million Suns. An even bigger supermassive black hole of six billion solar masses lies at the centre of the M87 Galaxy. Shep Doeleman has marshalled several of the world’s radio telescopes to form the EHT with the aim of imaging the event horizons of these black holes.Less
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is aiming to image the event horizon of the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. Andrea Ghez has mapped out the orbits of stars around this supermassive black hole and deduced it has a mass of four million Suns. An even bigger supermassive black hole of six billion solar masses lies at the centre of the M87 Galaxy. Shep Doeleman has marshalled several of the world’s radio telescopes to form the EHT with the aim of imaging the event horizons of these black holes.
