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The Fuel Of The Sun


RichardB

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Not a grim read but clearly not to everyones taste.

This is an 1870 scientific journal covering astronomical observations and knowledge of the Sun and its planets, covering all the known solar system to that date (as far as Uranus, no Neptune or Pluto)

As Richard implies it is a bit "heavy reading" and hard to follow if you are not a scientist or mathematician but its date, 1870, predating the space age by 90 years so that all the observational astronomy is from Earth based telescopes and the explanations given (the 2seas of Mars???) make it a fascinating read just for comparison with present day ideas and to see how much astronomy has changed in the last 130 years. Some may also be suprised at how technically advanced and how much was known in this field even by 1870.

Given the books title "The fuel of the Sun", I am pretty sure that in 1870 they had no concept of atomic fusion and nuclear reactions in which hydrogen atoms are being combined to form helium with a massive release of energy.

However, round about this time the element helium was newly discovered and interestingly it was discovered in the Sun, from it's atomic absorption spectrum, before it was ever discovered on Earth. It was even named after the Sun because of this, - helium is derived from helios, the Latin word for Sun.

I am suprised that such a technical book was written by a bloke in his front room in Grimesthorpe.

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I am suprised that such a technical book was written by a bloke in his front room in Grimesthorpe.

No doubt that you will be sending off your four stamps

to Mr Williams @ Woodhill, for a copy of this then Dave .. lol

Woodhill ?

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I'm am suprised that such a technical book was written by a bloke in his front room in Grimesthorpe.

I didn't get past about page two where it gave the address; I'm pleased if anyone got anything from it; it was just a Sheffield written book that caught my interest. More boring books written by blokes in Grimesthorpe Road, or elsewhere equally dull egerly sought - especially if we've never heard of 'em before...

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Found by accident whilst loking for something, anything else ...

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No doubt that you will be sending off your four stamps

to Mr Williams @ Woodhill, for a copy of this then Dave .. lol

Woodhill ?

I am already a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, but it costa me considerably more than threepence and four stamps postage! <_<

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More boring books written by blokes in Grimesthorpe Road, or elsewhere equally dull egerly sought - especially if we've never heard of 'em before...

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Found by accident whilst loking for something, anything else ...

I never said it was boring.

An old work collegue of mine, Colin Reid, wrote an astronomy book an had it published about 20 years ago and he lived just outside Sheffield in North Derbyshire.

Does that count?

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I never said it was boring.

An old work collegue of mine, Colin Reid, wrote an astronomy book an had it published about 20 years ago and he lived just outside Sheffield in North Derbyshire.

Does that count?

Boring only because of my lack of knowledge on the subject, possibly a brilliant book, possibly dull as dishwater after all - just found it and posted it as "written in Sheffield" - more Written in Sheffield most welcome, the olderthe better, it being a History site - but modern contributions - why not ?.

Colin ? post a link to his work (if online), or a link to his published work - North Derbyshire will do for me.

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Colin ? post a link to his work (if online), or a link to his published work - North Derbyshire will do for me.

Colin's book, written at his home which was then in Staveley, was published by Duckworth press and had an initial run of 500 copies. I doubt it is still in print.

I have a copy of it, given to me and signed by the author as I worked with him and we shared ideas about the books content while he was working on it.

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