ENGLISH

In Search of William Gascoigne: Seventeenth Century Astronomer

By David Sellers (auth.)

Book information

Publisher
Springer-Verlag New York
Year
2012
ISBN
978-1-4614-4096-3, 978-1-4614-4097-0
DOI
10.1007/978-1-4614-4097-0
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
4 MB (4046017 bytes)
Series
Astrophysics and Space Science Library 390
Edition
1
Pages
222\220
Orientation
yes
Scanned
yes
Time added
2013-10-20 05:47:10
AstronomyAstrophysics and Cosmology;History of Science;Opti

Description

William Gascoigne (c.1612-44) was the inventor of the telescopic sight and micrometer (instruments crucial to the advance of astronomy). His name is now known to historians of science around the world. For some considerable time after his tragic death at the age of 32 in the English Civil War, however, it seemed as if his achievements would be consigned to oblivion. Most of his papers were lost and even the few that survived have largely disappeared. This is the story of how his work was rescued. Into this story is woven an account of the state of astronomy and optics during Gascoigne’s lifetime, so that the reader can appreciate the significance of his discoveries.

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