A Selection of Photographs of Stars, Star-Clusters and Nebulae. Together with methods employed in the pursuit of Celestial Photography.

ROBERTS, Isaac

Published by Universal Press & "Knowledge" Office, London, 1893

Folio (308 x 230 mm). 134 pp. and 53 collotype photographic plates. Bound in original blind-stamped publisher's cloth, gilt-lettered spine and upper board (boards stained, extremities rubbed, spine sunned). Text and plates littl age-toned only, otherwise crisp and clean. Provenance: Earl of Rosse, Birr Castle. ---- FIRST EDITION of Isaac Robert's first publication of his celebrated astronomical photographs, presented to the Royal College of Science. Roberts (1829-1904) was a Welsh engineer and business man best known for his work as an amateur astronomer, pioneering the field of astrophotography of nebulae. He was a member of the Liverpool Astronomical Society in England and was a fellow of the Royal Geological Society. Roberts was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1895. In 1878, Roberts had a 7-inch refractor at his home in Rock Ferry, Birkenhead. Although at the time he used this for visual observation, he began to explore stellar photography, his forte, a few years later. In 1883, Roberts began experimenting with astrophotography. In 1886 Roberts displayed his first photographs at the Royal Astronomical Society at Liverpool, of which he was president. These images showed, for the first time, "the vast extensions of nebulosity in the Pleiades and Orion." Most consider Roberts' magnum opus to be a photograph showing the structure of M31, the Great Nebula in Andromeda (now known as the Andromeda Galaxy) taken on 29 December 1888, shown in the present work on plate 3. An appendix volume with additional 28 photographs was published in 1899. - Visit our website to see more images! Seller Inventory # 003848

Bibliographic Details

Title: A Selection of Photographs of Stars, ...
Publisher: Universal Press & "Knowledge" Office, London
Publication Date: 1893
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Edition: 1st Edition