Description

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This first full-length biography of Edward Emerson Barnard tells the remarkable tale of endurance and achievement of one of the leading astronomers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. As "a man who was never known to sleep", Barnard scoured the heavens endlessly, leaving an astonishing legacy of observations that make him one of the greatest observers of all time. This book traces Barnard's life from impoverished origins to status as an internationally recognized astronomer. His success as a professional astronomer unfolds in 1842 as he discovers the fifth satellite of Jupiter (the first since Galileo) and pioneers wide-angle photography of the Milky Way, which leads to the recognition of dark nebulae--clouds of dust on the galactic plane. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this book provides a complete history of Barnard's fascinating life and work, based largely on previously unpublished archival material, that will be of interest to astronomers and historians of science.