The Search for the Edge of the Universe

Preston, Richard

ISBN 10: 0871132001 / ISBN 13: 9780871132000

Published by The Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 1987

About this Item

263, DJ slightly worn and soiled. Inscribed by the author. A fascinating account of the Palomar Observatory, and of astronomy and the people who practice it. Preston weaves an elegant, captivating narrative about this enthralling science and the people who are hammering away at its frontiers. Seller Inventory # 49104

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Search for the Edge of the Universe

Publisher: The Atlantic Monthly Press, New York

Publication Date: 1987

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: very good, very good

Edition: First Edition. First Printing.

About this title

Synopsis:

First Light is perhaps the best book about astronomy ever written. It tells the story of the men and women at the Palomar Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains of California who peer through the amazing Hale Telescope at the farthest edges of space, attempting to solve the riddle of the beginning of time. "Science is a lot weirder and more human than most people realize," Preston writes in his foreword to this revised and updated edition of his first book, and he skillfully weaves together stories of the eccentricities of his characters and the technical wonders of their work to create a riveting narrative about what scientists do and why they do it.

Review:

"There is a saying among astronomers that five billion people concern themselves with the surface of the Earth, and ten thousand with everything else," writes Richard Preston, best-selling author of The Hot Zone. And if you think these professional stargazers spend most of their time serenely peering into the night sky, guess again. Today's astronomers are world-class gadgeteers who scurry about giant (and often frigid) observatories tinkering with the mechanical and electronic tools of their trade. In First Light, they tangle with the Hale Telescope, one of the world's oldest and largest. This beautifully written book is highly recommended for anybody interested in astronomy.