Galileo, Newton, Herschel, Huggins, Hale, Eddington, Shapley and Hubble: these astronomers applied ideas drawn from physics to astronomy and made dramatic changes to the world-pictures that they inherited. They showed that celestial objects are composed of the same materials as the earth and that they behave in the same way. They displaced successively the earth, the sun and finally the milky way galaxy from being the centre of the universe.

This book contains their biographies and outlines their greatest discoveries. Hard work, physical insight, desire for fame and a strong belief in the rightness of their own ideas were characteristics of all eight. Their often quirky personalities led them into bitter controversies with their contemporaries. But their successes arose from the outstanding clarity of their thoughts, their practical ability and their strong sense of direction in science.

Review

`Review from previous edition Glass has written an absorbing book, which I strongly recommend. ' Nature

`I am convinced that this book has the potential of popular appeal, not only to the professional and amateur astronomical community and to historians of science, but to the general reader. ' MNASSA Vol 65

`Even though this book is beautifully produced and fairly expensive it needs an ugly word to describe it ― unputdownable. Rarely have I read a book that enlightened and interested me so much.' J Br Astr Assoc

`This book stands as a good introduction to those eight key figures together with their contributions to astronomy... eight nicely balanced stories. ' Observatory

`Glass paints his pictures 'warts and all' and they are interesting and readable accounts of his subjects' lives and work. ' Astronomy Now

`This book is a fascinating blend of technical astronomy, biography, and history. It is a difficult combination to pull off, and I take my hat off to Dr Glass ... This is a well-written, informative, and thoroughly enjoyable book. ' BBC Sky at Night Magazine

About the Author

Dr Ian Glass, South African Astronomical Observatory

B.A. Trinity College Dublin 1961

PhD MIT 1968