James E. Keeler: Pioneer American Astrophysicist
And the Early Development of American Astrophysics

The biography of James E. Keeler (1857–1900), the leading astronomical spectroscopist of his generation.

Donald E. Osterbrock (Author)

9780521524803, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 22 August 2002

424 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm, 0.62 kg

This is the biography of James E. Keeler (1857–1900), a distinguished pioneer of astrophysics, the application of the methods of physics to understanding the nature of the stars, nebulae, planets, comets, and other objects that populate the universe. Keeler was an outstanding scientist, and his fellow astronomers and physicists at the end of the nineteenth century considered him the leading astronomical spectroscopist of his generation. His career was closely linked with that of George Ellery Hale, founder of Yerkes Observatory. Keeler himself was the first astronomer at Lick Observatory, and the story of his life tells much of the early history of these two early American 'big-science' research institutions.

Preface
1. A raw country boy from Florida
2. I shall be glad to keep him here for the present
3. I could not ask for anything better
4. Steady growth and excellent achievement
5. A human being first and an astronomer afterwards
6. The ablest spectroscopist in this country
7. I have really counted more on you than on all the others together
8. The best man for the place
9. An ideal director and investigator
10. The quality of his voice still rings in my ears
References
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: History of science [PDX]