Parallax: The Race to Measure the Cosmos [By Alan Hirshfeld]
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Product Details
Product Information: Hirshfeld, Alan; Softcover; 314 pages; 0.9 x 8.2 x 5.5"; List Price: $16.00.
Product Condition: New bargain book, never read, very good condition with minor shelfwear on cover and spine, remainder mark.
The greatest scientific minds applied themselves in vain to the daunting challenge of measuring the distance to a star, beginning with the ancient Greeks. But not until the nineteenth century would three astronomers, armed with the best telescopes of the age, close in on conquering this Everest of observational astronomy. Against Parallax's sweeping backdrop of kidnappings, dramatic rescue, swordplay, madness, and bitter rivalry, Alan Hirshfeld brings to life the heroes of this remarkable story. Meet the destitute boy plucked from a collapsed building who becomes the greatest telescope maker the world has ever seen; the hot-tempered Dane whose nose is lopped off in a duel over mathematics; the merchant's apprentice forced to choose between the lure of money and his passion for astronomy; and the musician who astounds the world by discovering a new planet from his own backyard. Generously illustrated with diagrams, period engravings, and paintings, Parallax is an unforgettable tale that illuminates the distinctly human side of science.
