This book is uniquely about the relationship between the optical telescope and astronomy as they developed together. It covers the time between the telescope's pivotal invention in the 1600's up to the modern era of space-based telescopes. Over the intervening centuries, there were huge improvements in the optical resolution of telescopes, along with changes in their positioning and nature of a…
In the early 1970s, there was a small group of advocates for an infrared space telescope; however, the field of infrared astronomy was only a few years old, and no one had ever built a space-based observatory of the required complexity. Considering the technical, political, scientific, and economic uncertainties, it was not obvious that a project like SIRTF could—or should—be dared by NASA.…
Not Yet Imagined documents Hubble history from the telescope’s launch through its first 30 years, focusing on the interactions between astronomers, engineers, government officials, and public during that time. It chronicles the telescope’s tumultuous beginnings, the decision-making behind the servicing missions, Hubble’s contributions to our understanding of the universe, and how the tele…