Revolutionaries of the Cosmos: The Astro-physicists

Revolutionaries of the Cosmos is about eight astronomers who applied ideas drawn from physics to astronomy and made dramatic changes to the world-pictures that they inherited. They showed that celestial objects are composed of the same materials as the earth and that they behave in the same way. They displaced successively the earth, the sun and finally the Milky Way galaxy from being the centre of the universe.

This book contains their biographies and outlines their greatest discoveries. Hard work, physical insight, desire for fame and a strong belief in the rightness of their own ideas were characteristic of all eight. Their often argumentative outlook led them into bitter controversies with their contemporaries. But their successes arose from the outstanding clarity of their thoughts, their practical ability and their strong sense of direction in science.

As a teenager I enjoyed and was stimulated by E.T. Bell's Men of Mathematics, a lively and gossipy account of the lives and work of the great mathematicians and I later regretted that nothing similar was available in my own field - astrophysics. This book was initially conceived to fill the gap but, as the project matured, I found that I preferred to take a deeper approach than Bell and therefore chose a smaller number of subjects.

Galileo: Seeing and Believing

Newton: Rationalising the Universe

... and if philosophy were what is contained in Aristotle's books, you would in my opinion be the greatest philosopher in the world, so well does it seem to me that you have ready at hand every passage that he wrote (Galileo, 1641).

... the falsity of the Copernican system ought not to be doubted in any way, and most of all not by us Catholics who have the undeniable authority of Holy Scripture, interpreted by the best theologians ... if the observations and conjectures of Copernicus are insufficient, those of Ptolemy, Aristotle and their followers are in my view even more false (Galileo, 1641).

...at this he [Newton] fired and calld me all the ill names Puppy etc. that he could think of. All I returned was I put him in mind of his passion desired him to govern it and keep his temper. This made him rage worse, and he told me told me how much I had receaved from ye Governmt in 36 years I had served ... I sayd nothing to him in return but with a little more spirit than I had hitherto shewed told them, that God (who was seldom spoke of with due Reverence in that Meeting) had hitherto prospered all my labours and I doubted not would do so to an happy conclusion, took my leave and left them (Flamsteed, 1711).

Herschel: Surveying the Heavens

Huggins: Celestial Chemical Analysis

It has been generally supposed that it was a lucky accident that brought this star [Uranus] into my view; this is an evident mistake. In the regular manner I examined every star of the heavens, not only of that magnitude but many far inferior, it was that night its turn to be discovered (Herschel, relating his discovery of Uranus).

This news was to me like the coming upon a spring of water in a dry and thirsty land. Here at last presented itself the very order of work for which in an indefinite way I was looking -- namely, to extend his novel methods of research upon the sun to the other heavenly bodies. A feeling of inspiration seized me: I felt as if I had it now in my power to lift a veil which had never before been lifted; as if a key had been put into my hands which would unlock a door behind which lay the unknown mystery of the true nature of the heavenly bodies ... (Huggins, 1897).

Hale: Providing the Tools

Eddington: Inside the Stars

The Monthly Notices [of the Royal Astronomical Society] records how we have hurled at each other mathematical formulae -- the most undodgeable of missiles, when they are right -- and the onlooker will perhaps conclude that someone was badly annihilated. But it is possible that Jeans and I may still have a difference of opinion as to precisely whose corpse lies stricken on the field (Eddington, 1922).

Shapley: Defining Our Galaxy

Hubble: Journeying to the Edge

Both Hubble and I hope that Shapley's tendency to consider the Magellanic Clouds as his personal property will not deter you from attacking this problem. He has monopolised the Clouds all too long and it is time that the barbed wire fences and the warning signs `Keep out. This means you!' are taken down ... The whole situation has become intolerable and a good fresh breeze is most desirable (Baade, 1949).

And out came Congressman Rankin [from the House Un-American Activities Committee]. He came out, pointing his scornful finger at me, and shouted, 'This man has shown more contempt for our committee than anybody who has ever appeared before it.' That was the greatest compliment that I ever had. It was flattering to be held in contempt of that committee (Shapley, 1969).

In his paper, Extragalactic Nebulae,... E.P. Hubble makes an attack on me which is written in such a tone that I hesitate to give any answer at all ... Hubble's statement that my classification except for nomenclature is practically identical with the one submitted by him is not correct ... As to Hubble's way of acknowledging his predecessors I have no reason to enter upon this question here (Lundmark 1927).