Astronomical photometry is the science of measuring the brightness and colors of stars and other celestial objects. This authoritative volume traces the fascinating historical development of astronomical photometry from visual techniques at the time of William Herschel in the 1780s to the birth of photometry with charge-coupled devices in the 1970s. In this intriguing survey, the author shows how the advent of new technology has revolutionized the science of photometry at each stage of its development, and what dramatic advances have been achieved despite several major disasters--especially...

Astronomical photometry is the science of measuring the brightness and colors of stars and other celestial objects. This authoritative volume traces the fascinating historical development of astronomical photometry from visual techniques at the time of William Herschel in the 1780s to the birth of photometry with charge-coupled devices in the 1970s. In this intriguing survey, the author shows how the advent of new technology has revolutionized the science of photometry at each stage of its development, and what dramatic advances have been achieved despite several major disasters--especially...

First published in 1986, this is the story of the analysis of starlight by astronomical spectroscopy. Beginning with Joseph Fraunhofer's discovery of spectral lines in the early nineteenth century, this new edition continues the story through to the year 2000. In addition to the key discoveries, it presents the cultural and social history of stellar astrophysics by introducing the leading astronomers and their struggles, triumphs and disagreements. Basic concepts in spectroscopy and spectral analysis are included, so both observational and theoretical aspects are described, in a...