In Search of William Gascoigne

This unique volume forestalls the scientific injustice that could have been inflicted on William Gascoigne. The captivating narrative tracks the gradual recovery of the 17 th -century astronomer's trailblazing work on the telescopic sight and the micrometer.

William Gascoigne (c.1612-44) was the inventor of the telescopic sight and micrometer (instruments crucial to the advance of astronomy). His name is now known to historians of science around the world. For some considerable time after his tragic death at the age of 32 in the English Civil War, however, it seemed as if his achievements would be consigned to oblivion. Most of his papers were lost and even the few that survived have largely disappeared. This is the story of how his work was rescued. Into this story is woven an account of the state of astronomy and optics during Gascoigne's lifetime, so that the reader can appreciate the significance of his discoveries.

The only book devoted to the tragically short life of William Gascoigne and his invention of the telescopic sight and micrometerinstruments crucial to the advance of astronomy Provides a glimpse into the turbulent world facing a young English astronomer in the early seventeenth century and the state of optics and astronomy in his time Tells a captivating story of how Gascoigne's work was gradually recovered and his achievement was rescued from oblivion, containing much correspondence that has never been published before Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext
David Sellers is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a founder member of the Society for the History of Astronomy. Before retirement he was a Chartered Civil Engineer working in flood risk management. He is the author of The Transit of Venus: the Quest to Find the True Distance of the Sun (Leeds, 2001) and co-author of Vénus Devant le Soleil (Paris, 2003).

Klappentext

William Gascoigne (c.1612-44), the first inventor of the telescopic sight and micrometerinstruments crucial to the advance of astronomywas killed in the English Civil War. His name is now known to historians of science around the world, but for some considerable time after his tragic death at the age of 32, it seemed as if his achievements would be consigned to oblivion. Most of his papers were lost in the maelstrom of war and the few that seemed to have survived later disappeared. This is the story of how his work was rescued. Woven into that story is an account of the state of astronomy and optics during Gascoigne's lifetime, so that the reader can appreciate the significance of his discoveries.

A substantial appendix presents selected extracts from Gascoigne's correspondence. This includes much new material that has not been previously published and illustrates his efforts to explain the basis of his pioneering techniques to the satisfaction of his contemporaries.

Inhalt

Part 1: The 'Discovery' of William Gascoigne.- Introduction.- The Gascoignes of Thorp-On-The-Hill.- The 'Discovery' of William Gascoigne.- A 'Light of the First Magnitude'.- Derham and de la Hire.- Bevis and de la Hire.- In His Own Hand.- Part 2: Gascoigne's World.- The Religious World of William Gascoigne.- The Optical World of William Gascoigne.- The Astronomical World of William Gascoigne.- Part 3: Digging Further.- The Flamsteed Transcriptions.- Bodleian Transcriptions.- British Library MSS and Other Transcriptions.- The Civil War and After.- The Road to Civil War.- After Marston Moor.- The Legacy of William Gascoigne.