by Richard Dunn

The invention of the telescope in 1608 marks a turning point in the progress not just of science but also of astronomy and philosophy.

This book introduces us to the world of innovators and adventurers who created, and have subsequently shaped, the story of the telescope: unsurprisingly Galileo and Newton are players, but the author revels in revealing why the most advanced telescopes in the world owe much to the science of spying. Less expected stories include the danger of termites and some interesting uses of a well and a Model T Ford.

As well as covering well-known accounts of scientific marvels like the Hubble telescope, the book deliberately broadens the approach taken by previous histories of this iconic device, looking at its wider impact on culture and society.

Written by Richard Dunn, curator of the history of navigation at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, The Telescope: A Short History has been published to coincide with the International Year of Astronomy in 2009.

• Hardback
• 192 pages
• ISBN: 9781906367046