Astronomical spectrographs and their history.

9780521882576

Astronomical spectrographs and their history.

Hearnshaw, John.

Cambridge U. Press

2009

228 pages

$140.00

Hardcover

QB873

With the exception of the telescope, the spectrograph and its predecessor the visual spectroscope have provided more insights into the physical nature of the celestial bodies than any other instrument, proclaims, Hearnshaw (astronomy, U. of Canterbury, New Zealand). He considers the historical development of the instruments and the theory underpinning their design, each half of the story complementing the other, he says. He especially credits people who have designed, built, and used spectrographs in astronomy. This study can be considered a natural sequel to his 1986 The Analysis of Starlight, which discusses the history of stellar spectroscopy but mentions only briefly the history of the instruments used.

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