Overview
- Reviews the changing focuses of astronomy in New Zealand from pre-European Maori times through to the years immediately following WWII
- Collects the research of a leading expert on the subject
- Contrasts the nautical astronomy practiced by the Cook voyage astronomers during their stopovers in New Zealand in the 1770s with the positional astronomy pursued by New Zealand professional and amateur astronomers a century later
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library (ASSL, volume 422)
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Table of contents (24 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Pre-European Astronomy in The Pacific
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Front Matter
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Fundamental Astronomy: Of Telescopes and Observatories
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Front Matter
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Transits of Venus: The Quest for the Astronomical Unit
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Front Matter
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Keywords
About this book
Dr. Orchiston is a foremost authority on the subject of New Zealand astronomy, and here are the collected papers of his fruitful studies in this area, including both those published many years ago and new material. The papers herein review traditional Maori astronomy, examine the appearance of nautical astronomy practiced by Cook and his astronomers on their various stopovers in New Zealand during their three voyagers to the South Seas, and also explore notable nineteenth century New Zealand observatories historically, from significant telescopes now located in New Zealand to local and international observations made during the 1874 and 1882 transits of Venus and the nineteenth and twentieth century preoccupation of New Zealand amateur astronomers with comets and meteors.
New Zealand astronomy has a truly rich history, extending from the Maori civilization in pre-European times through to the years when explorers and navigators discovered the region, up to pioneering research on the newly emerging field of radio astronomy during WWII and in the immediate post-war years. A complete survey of a neglected but rich national astronomical history, this does the subject full and comprehensive justice.
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Exploring the History of New Zealand Astronomy
Book Subtitle: Trials, Tribulations, Telescopes and Transits
Authors: Wayne Orchiston
Series Title: Astrophysics and Space Science Library
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22566-1
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2016
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-22565-4Published: 16 December 2015
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-79411-2Published: 28 March 2019
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-22566-1Published: 08 December 2015
Series ISSN: 0067-0057
Series E-ISSN: 2214-7985
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XLV, 688
Number of Illustrations: 245 b/w illustrations, 152 illustrations in colour
Topics: Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, History of Science