Astronomical Spectrographs and their History

Indispensable reference on the historical development of spectrographs for advanced amateur and professional astronomers, graduate students, and historians of science.

John Hearnshaw (Author)

9780521882576, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 12 February 2009

240 pages, 75 b/w illus.
25.3 x 1.5 x 19.3 cm, 0.68 kg

'… a remarkable achievement and a useful volume…' Contemporary Physics

Astronomical spectrographs analyse light emitted by the Sun, stars, galaxies and other objects in the Universe, and have been used in astronomy since the early nineteenth century. This book provides a comprehensive account of spectrographs from an historical perspective, from their theory and development over the last two hundred years, to the recent advances of the early twenty-first century. The author combines the theoretical principles behind astronomical spectrograph design with their historical development. Spectrographs of all types are considered, with prism, grating or grism dispersing elements. Included are Cassegrain, coudé, prime focus, échelle, fibre-fed, ultraviolet, nebular, objective prism, multi-object instruments and those which are ground-based, on rockets and balloons or in space. The book contains several tables listing the most significant instruments, around 900 references, and over 150 images, making it an indispensable reference for professional astronomers, graduate students, advanced amateur astronomers, and historians of science.

1. The historical development of astronomical spectroscopes and spectrographs
2. The theory of spectroscopes and spectrographs
3. High resolution spectrographs
4. Solar spectrographs and the history of solar spectroscopy
5. Objective prism spectrographs
6. Ultraviolet and nebular spectroscopy
7. Multi-object spectrographs
8. Ten pioneering spectrographs of the late twentieth century
Subject index
Name index.

Subject Areas: Astronomy, space & time [PG], History of science [PDX]