PERCEPTIONS OF SCIENCE: Celestial Spectroscopy: Making Reality Fit the Myth

doi:10.1126/science.1085135

Account Information

Guest Alerts | Access Rights | My Account | Sign In

Essays on Science and Society

Also see the archival list of the Essays on Science and Society.

PERCEPTIONS OF SCIENCE:
Celestial Spectroscopy: Making Reality Fit the Myth

Barbara J. Becker

In the second half of the 19th century, the introduction of spectroscopy, which provided information on the composition of stars, revolutionized the way in which astronomical observations were performed. In her essay, Becker draws attention to William Huggins, an amateur astronomer who was one of stellar spectroscopy's principal founders. Huggins first began to use spectroscopy in his astronomical studies around 1862 and soon achieved a position of prestige and authority among fellow astronomers. But in his own account of these early spectroscopic studies, Huggins presented a highly selective version of events that belie his own eclectic research style.

The author is in the History Department, 200 Krieger Hall, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. E-mail: bjbecker{at}uci.edu

Read the Full Text