The New Astronomy: Opening the Electromagnetic Window and Expanding our View of Planet Earth

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

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2. Introduction

   1. Points of View: Shadows, Photons, Planets, and Life

      • Woodruff T. Sullivan III

      Pages 3-12

3. Astrobiology

   1. The Biological Universe Revisited

      • Steven J. Dick

      Pages 15-26

   2. Contingency and the Cosmic Perspective

      • Christopher Chyba

      Pages 27-39

4. History of Astronomy

   1. Grote Reber (1911–2002)

      • K. I. Kellermann

      Pages 43-70

   2. Dr Elizabeth Alexander: First Female Radio Astronomer

      • Wayne Orchiston

      Pages 71-92

   3. Radio Astronomy in Holland Before 1960

      • Richard Strom

      Pages 93-106

   4. Jodrell Bank and the Meteor Velocity Controversy

      • A.G. Gunn

      Pages 107-118

   5. The Radiophysics Field Stations and the Early Development of Radio Astronomy

      • Wayne Orchiston, Bruce Slee

      Pages 119-168

   6. Dark Matter and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory

      • Marshall Cohen

      Pages 169-182

   7. The Discovery of Sgr A*

      • Bruce Balick

      Pages 183-190

   8. Radio Astronomy, Whatever that May be

      • Richard Jarrell

      Pages 191-202

   9. Telescopes Lofted to Space

      • Peter Abrahams

      Pages 203-214

   10. The History of Space Astronomy

       • Robert W. Smith

       Pages 215-228

   11. SAO During the Whipple Years

       • David DeVorkin

       Pages 229-250

   12. The Transits of Venus and New Technologies

       • Ron Brashear

       Pages 251-260

   13. And the Remaining 22 Photons

       • Virginia Trimble

       Pages 261-270

5. Sundials and Art

   1. Gnōmonikē Technē

      • James Evans

      Pages 273-292

   2. Light Work

      • Rebecca Cummins

      Pages 293-310

6. Back Matter

   Pages 311-334

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This is an unusual book, combining as it does papers on astrobiology, history of astronomy and sundials, but—after all—Woody Sullivan is an unusual man. In late 2003 I spent two fruitful and enjoyable months in the Astronomy Department at the University of Washington (UW) working on archival material accumulated over the decades by Woody, for a book we will co-author with Jessica Chapman on the early development of Australian astronomy. The only serious intellectual distraction I faced during this period was planning for an IAU colloquium on transits of Venus scheduled for June 2004 in England, where I was down to present the ‘Cook’ paper. I knew Woody was also interested in transits (and, indeed, anything remotely connected with shadows—see his paper on page 3), and in discussing the Preston meeting with him it transpired that his 60th birthday was timed to occur just one week later. This was where the seed of ‘Woodfest’ began to germinate. Why not invite friends and colleagues to join Woody in Seattle and celebrate this proud event? I put the idea to Woody and others at UW, they liked it, and ‘Woodfest’ was born.

• astrobiology
• astronomy
• history of astronomy
• history of radio astronomy
• history of space astronomy
• sundials

• Anglo-Australian Observatory, Sydney, Australia

  Wayne Orchiston

Policies and ethics