Stories of Astronomers and Their Stars

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Part I

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-2

      PDF

   2. Observing the Night Sky and the Celestial Sphere

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 3-6

   3. The Spring/Fall Sky

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 7-15

   4. The Summer/Winter Sky

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 17-22

   5. The Fall/Spring Sky

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 23-29

   6. The Winter/Summer Sky

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 31-37

3. Part II

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 39-39

      PDF

   2. Anaxagoras and Hans Albrecht Bethe: The Sun

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 41-55

   3. Tycho Brahe: SN 1572

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 57-66

   4. Johannes Kepler: SN 1604

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 67-78

4. Part III

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 79-79

      PDF

   2. Thomas Henderson: Alpha Centauri

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 81-88

   3. Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel: 61 Cygni

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 89-95

   4. Benedetto Castelli and J. B. Liebknecht: Mizar , Alcor , and Sidus Ludoviciana

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 97-103

   5. John Goodricke: Algol

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 105-112

5. Part IV

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 113-113

      PDF

   2. A Brief History of Astrophotography

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 115-120

   3. The Pioneers of Spectroscopy

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 121-147

   4. Stellar Spectral Types and the H-R Diagram

      • David E. Falkner

      Pages 149-168

This book recounts the stories of the astronomical pioneers who forever changed our views of the cosmos. The chapters delve into their fascinating lives over the centuries, showing how these pivotal minds built upon the work of their predecessors and unlocked the unique properties of specific stars.

From ancient astronomy to modern imaging and spectroscopy, each tale at once showcases the pace of scientific discovery and the shared passions that drove these starwatchers. Accompanying the stories are a plethora of constellation and finder charts, stellar coordinates and directions, and suggestions for viewing specific stars, all of which are visible to the naked eye or through a small telescope.

In addition, the histories on specific star names and designations are given, along with an overview of the most popular catalogues and online databases that readers can use for reference.

• history of astronomers
• astronomer biographies
• history of stars
• study of stars
• stellar spectroscopy history
• star names
• famous star discoveries
• ancient astronomers
• history of star catalogues
• history of astronomical handbooks

“Tackling the whole of stellar astronomy from the earliest days is a considerable task but the author covers it all well and in a straightforward and clear manner, and this book does have the advantage of being one of the publisher’s more affordable volumes.” (Robert Argyle, The Observatory, Vol. 142 (1289), August, 2022)

• Blaine, USA

  David E. Falkner

David Falkner first became interested in Astronomy as a pre-teen when his father took him to a show at the Holcolm Planetarium in Indianapolis, IN. He became hooked and has loved astronomy ever since.  When he was a teenager he inherited a home-made Newtonian telescope that needed the primary mirror. He ground a 6” mirror and completed his first telescope, which gave him years of pleasure observing the heavens. In 1973 David joined the US Navy and became an officer in 1980. In 1986 as a Naval Officer stationed in Monterey, California, he was involved with the Friends of MIRA (Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy) where he conducted outreach to local schools associated with the return of Halley’s Comet. David retired from the US Navy in 1993 and settled in Minnesota, where he continues his love of astronomy. He has taught introductory astronomy at a local community college and does extensive astronomy outreach both with the Minnesota Astronomical Society and as aNASA Solar System Ambassador.

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