Henry Norris Russell: Dean of American Astronomers

Hardcover with dust jacket. 2000; First Edition, 1st printing. Very light rubbing and bumping to the corners and spine extremeties. Spine is concave. Light smudges to bottom page edges. Couple light bumps to page edges. DJ has light bumping to the corners and spine extremeties. Just a bit of light rubbing to rear panel of DJ. ; 25A; 9-1/2" x 6-1/4"; 499 pages

From Publisher:

Henry Norris Russell lived in two universes: that of his Presbyterian forebears and that of his science. Sharp-witted and animated by nervous energy, he became one of the most powerful voices in twentieth-century American astronomy, wielding that influence in calculated ways to redefine an entire science. He, more than any American of his generation, worked to turn an observation-centered discipline into a theory-driven pursuit centered on physics.

Today, professional and amateur astronomers alike know Russell for the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, the playing field for much of stellar astrophysics, as well as for his work on the evolution of stars and the origin of the solar system. But of far greater importance than his own research, which was truly remarkable in its own right, is Russell's stamp on the field as a whole. Functioning as a headquarters scientist--some called him General--Russell was an astronomer without a telescope. Yet he marshaled the data of the Hales and the Pickerings of the world, injected theory into mainstream astronomy, and brought atomic physics to its very core, often sparking controversy along the way. His students at Princeton went on to populate the most prestigious astronomical institutions in the United States, bringing with them Russell's beliefs that astronomy is really astrophysics and that researchers should be theoretically as well as empirically minded.

This first-ever book-length biography of the Dean of American Astronomers interweaves personal and scientific history to illuminate how Russell's privileged Presbyterian family background, his education at Princeton and Cambridge, and his personal inclinations and attachments both served and were at odds with his campaign to modernize astronomy. This book will be of interest not only to astronomers and historians (particularly those interested in the emergence of astrophysics), but to anyone interested in the process of disciplinary change.

Product Info

ISBN: 0691049181

ISBN-13: 9780691049182

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Year: 2000

Type: Used

Binding: Hardcover

First Edition

Seller Info

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Country: United States