Master of galactic astronomy a biography of Jan Hendrik Oort /

This accessible and entertaining biography chronicles the life and triumphs of astronomer Jan Hendrik Oort, who helped lay the foundations of modern astronomy in the 20th century. The book puts into context some of Oort's most significant achievements, including his discovery that the Milky Way...

Full description

Uniform Title: Horizonnen. English
Main Author: Kruit, Pieter C. van der,
Other Authors: SpringerLink (Online service)
Format: eBook
Language: English
Dutch
Published: Cham, Switzerland : Springer, [2021]
Physical Description: 1 online resource (xix, 356 pages) : illustrations (some color).
Series: Springer biographies.
Subjects:
Summary: This accessible and entertaining biography chronicles the life and triumphs of astronomer Jan Hendrik Oort, who helped lay the foundations of modern astronomy in the 20th century. The book puts into context some of Oort's most significant achievements, including his discovery that the Milky Way rotates, as well as his famous hypothesis that our Solar System is surrounded by a reservoir of comets -- now simply known as the Oort Cloud. Written by Oort's former student, this fascinating story also delves into Oort's pivotal role in the foundation of major astronomical facilities, including radio telescopes in the Netherlands and the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which now operates the most successful astronomical observatories in the world. The book draws extensively on new archival research through the Oort Archives, along with personal reminiscences by Oort's son and astronomer-grandson, to paint a more detailed picture of Oort's life not just as an astronomer, but also as a husband, father, and citizen. The strong public interest in comets triggered by the Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and the recently discovered interstellar comet in the Solar System make this book particularly timely.
Item Description: In English; tranlated from the original Dutch by the author.
This accessible and entertaining biography chronicles the life and triumphs of astronomer Jan Hendrik Oort, who helped lay the foundations of modern astronomy in the 20th century. The book puts into context some of Oort's most significant achievements, including his discovery that the Milky Way rotates, as well as his famous hypothesis that our Solar System is surrounded by a reservoir of comets -- now simply known as the Oort Cloud. Written by Oort's former student, this fascinating story also delves into Oort's pivotal role in the foundation of major astronomical facilities, including radio telescopes in the Netherlands and the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which now operates the most successful astronomical observatories in the world. The book draws extensively on new archival research through the Oort Archives, along with personal reminiscences by Oort's son and astronomer-grandson, to paint a more detailed picture of Oort's life not just as an astronomer, but also as a husband, father, and citizen. The strong public interest in comets triggered by the Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and the recently discovered interstellar comet in the Solar System make this book particularly timely.
Youth in Oegstgeest and Leiden -- Kapateyn and Groningen -- Via Yale to Leiden -- Rotation and Dynamics of the Galaxy -- The Structure of our and Other Galaxies -- The Watershed: World War Ii -- Opening New Avenues -- Fron Kootwijk to Dwingeloo -- Westerbork Syntjesis Radio Telescope and Retirement -- The Last Horizon.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Access restricted to registered UOB users with valid accounts.
Physical Description: 1 online resource (xix, 356 pages) : illustrations (some color).
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 3030555488
9783030555481
ISSN: 2365-0613.
Access: Access restricted to registered UOB users with valid accounts.