Northern Star : : J.S. Plaskett / / R. Peter Broughton.

John Stanley Plaskett was Canada’s pre-eminent astronomer in the first half of the twentieth century. His legacy lives on in the observatory he founded in Victoria, British Columbia, and the reputation he built for Canada as a nation making vital contributions to basic science. Plaskett’s pioneering...

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Bibliographic Details
Superior document:Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter EBOOK PACKAGE COMPLETE 2018 English
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Place / Publishing House:Toronto : : University of Toronto Press, , [2018]
©2018
Year of Publication:2018
Language:English
Online Access:
Physical Description:1 online resource (600 p.) :; 111 b&w illustrations
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Other title:Frontmatter --
Contents --
Foreword --
Preface --
Acknowledgments --
Abbreviations --
Part One: Preparing the Ground --
1. Rural Roots, to 1890 5 --
2. Toronto, 1890–1903 --
3. Ottawa Advancement, 1903–1907 --
Part Two: Budding Scientist --
4. The Sun and the Stars, 1906–1911 --
5. The Dream of an Upright Man, 1911–1913 --
6. Transition, 1913–1917 --
Part Three: Career in Full Flower --
7. This Is the House That Jack Built, 1917–1921 --
8. Challenges and Rewards, 1921–1923 --
9. The Farthest Stars, 1924–1926 --
10. Beyond the Stars, 1927–1930 --
11. The Big Picture, 1930–1934 --
Part Four: The Fruits of His Labour --
12. Retirement, 1934–1941 --
13. Regeneration, 1942- --
Appendices --
Appendix A: Published Papers by J.S. Plaskett --
Appendix B: Talks Given by J.S. Plaskett --
Notes --
Selected Bibliography --
Index
Summary:John Stanley Plaskett was Canada’s pre-eminent astronomer in the first half of the twentieth century. His legacy lives on in the observatory he founded in Victoria, British Columbia, and the reputation he built for Canada as a nation making vital contributions to basic science. Plaskett’s pioneering work with the most massive stars and his definitive determination of the rotation of the Milky Way Galaxy earned him international recognition of the highest order. Northern Star explores Plaskett’s unorthodox and fascinating life from his rural roots near Woodstock, Ontario through his days as a technician at the University of Toronto to his initiation in astronomy at the Dominion Observatory in Ottawa. His greatest achievements followed after he persuaded the government of Canada, in spite of the strictures of the First World War, to finance what was then the world’s largest operational telescope. Peter Broughton’s accessible and engaging prose illuminates Plaskett’s numerous achievements and the social, political, economic, and religious milieu surrounding them. This richly illustrated volume invites readers to understand the pull that Plaskett’s passions, personality, and motivations exerted on him during his lifetime.
Format:Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.
ISBN:9781442630185
9783110604252
9783110603255
9783110604030
9783110603149
9783110606799
DOI:10.3138/9781442630185
Access:restricted access
Hierarchical level:Monograph
Statement of Responsibility: R. Peter Broughton.