Hirshfeld, Alan

"The path to a broader mode of cosmic observation was blazed by a cadre of nineteenth-century amateur astronomers and inventors, galvanized by the advent of photography, spectral analysis, and innovative technology to create the entirely new field of astrophysics. From William Bond, who turned his home into a functional observatory, to John and Henry Draper, a father and son team who were trailblazers of astrophotography and spectroscopy, to geniuses of invention such as L?eon Foucault, and George Hale, who founded the Mount Wilson Observatory, Hirshfeld reveals the incredible stories--and the ambitious dreamers--behind the birth of modern astronomy."--.

Traces the history of observational astronomy's efforts to measure the distance to a star.

Chronicles the life of Michael Faraday, discussing his childhood in poverty, career as a bookbinder, rise through the ranks of the nineteenth-century scientific elite, contributions to his field, and other related topics.