The Andromeda Galaxy - Messier's M31 - has an almost romantic appeal. It
is the most distant object and the only extragalactic object that is
visible to the unaided human eye. Now known to be about 21/2 million
light-years away, it appears in the sky to be several times the width of
the full Moon under good seeing conditions. The Andromeda Galaxy and the
Rise of Modern Astronomy examines the astronomical studies of Andromeda
and its importance to our developing knowledge of the universe. The book
discusses how M31 was described both by the Ancients, but more
importantly, by astronomers from the nineteenth century to the present.
While at the start of the twentieth century the universe was thought of
as a finite cosmos dominated by the Milky Way, the study of Andromeda
galaxy shattered that image, leading ultimately to the conception of an
infinite universe of countless galaxies and vast distances. Even today,
M31 is a major focal point for new astronomical discoveries, and it also
remains one of the most popular (and rewarding) celestial objects for
amateur astronomers to observe and study. This book reveals the
little-known history of M31 and the scientists who study it.
For all who are interested in astronomy, the skies, and perhaps even the
origins of the universe, The Andromeda Galaxy and the Rise of Modern
Astronomy provides a first-of-its-kind accessible, informative, and
highly readable account of how the study and observation of this
celestial object has driven the development of astronomy from ancient
times to the present.
