New astronomy and space titles reviewed
With Stars In Their Eyes
James B Breckinridge; Alec M Pridgeon Oxford University Press £29.99 HB
Husband and wife teams in the history of astronomy are common. What is rare however, is to see credit shared. This book tells the story of Aden and Marjorie Meinel, a pair of astronomers who, through Aden’s career, played a significant role in many major observatories across the US in the mid-20th century. Until now, little has been written about them: indeed, Marjorie doesn’t even have a Wikipedia entry, yet.
This book examines the Meinels’ working lives in more or less chronological order, beginning with a long chapter on genealogy, passing through Marjorie’s family connections (her father was an astronomer at Mount Wilson observatory) and Aden’s war work, before focusing for the bulk of the book on Aden’s professional life and Marjorie’s support.
This book is hugely detailed, giving an intricate insight into Caltech, the Kitt Peak National Observatory and all the other places where Aden worked and with which he was involved. Aden’s (though not Marjorie’s) war work is similarly fleshed out in considerable detail.
As a joint biography however, there are omissions. Marjorie’s life, particularly how she felt about her role and how together they juggled family responsibilities (they had seven children) and astronomy does not get much attention. Had this been a biography of Aden, I would have been full of praise for the recognition the authors have given to Marjorie’s contribution to Aden’s work. To call it a joint biography, however, could be seen as a little disingenuous. Marjorie had the chance to become a professional astronomer in her own right but gave it up to become, as the authors put it, a “homemaker” and supporter of her husband’s career. Surely, she must have had some reasons and some feelings about that. These are not explored.
To conclude, this book gives some fantastic insight into the inner workings of the American astronomical world in the 20th century. It shows how work was developed, and the way these institutions ran. The book however, lacks personal detail. There is too little about their personal feelings and ambition, especially of Marjorie’s, to make it fully feel like a biography. ★★★
Emily Winterburn is author of The Quiet Revolution of Caroline Herschel: The Lost Heroine of Astronomy
Interview with the author James B Breckinridge
What were Aden and Marjorie’s major achievements?
Aden used tools of his own design to discover that aurorae are caused by the streaming of particles from the Sun to excite ions in the uppermost atmosphere. He built telescopes and instruments revealing the physical and chemical composition of the Universe. At NASA he and Marjorie collaborated on next-generation space telescopes, propulsion systems and space science mission concepts.
What were they like as people?
I met Aden in 1968 when he was at Steward Observatory and director of the Optical Sciences Center. He felt that students needed to know how to design, manufacture and test optical instruments. He travelled, but when he was in the office he was always accessible. At NASA they shared a large office with an open-door policy, welcoming all scientists and engineers in conversation. They did not engage in small talk but cut to the chase, often responding with insightful questions. Aden came up with many ideas; Marjorie filtered these from a practical perspective.
Today, what would excite them most?
They published hundreds of papers and six books. Both were focused and dedicated as a close-knit team. They would be most excited about recent developments in space telescopes, particularly the elimination of diffraction noise at the image plane by using innovative segmented telescopes to characterise terrestrial exoplanets and search for the indicators of life beyond our Solar System.
James B Breckinridge is Adjunct Professor in the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona
Memories of a Theoretical Physicist
Joseph Polchinski; Ahmed Almheiri MIT Press £22 PB
Memories of a Theoretical Physicist is a rather understated title for the memoir of the remarkable Joe Polchinski. Don’t let the modest title fool you though, for Joe was hardly just a theoretical physicist. He invented D-branes, and with them changed the course of modern theoretical physics, and in particular string theory. His numerous contributions have been recognised by many prestigious prizes, which highlight his brilliance. But this memoir also showcases his love for his family and sport.
The book follows Polchinski throughout his professional life – told in his own voice – with chapters separated by stages of his career. He remembers precisely when certain ideas came to him, what the state of field was at the time and the contributions of people he worked with. The level of detail is impressive, and even more remarkable given that he had to dictate it because brain cancer had robbed his ability to read and write.
Following the explorations of a theoretical physicist can be confusing, as the topics are advanced. There are additional explanations of the physics concepts, but these are pitched to a high level that limits the book‘s accessibility. Unless you know about string theory already, you might find it hard to follow. However, the book is charming, and could inspire a new generation of physicists by relating the accounts of an “exceptional scientist and human being”.
★★★★
Laura Nuttall is a senior lecturer in gravitational waves at the University of Portsmouth
GREAT FOR KIDS
The Squirrel That Watched The Stars
Tom Kerss; Anni Betts Stargazing London £9.93 PB
For most of us, our introduction to astronomy comes as children, gazing up at the stars and wondering just what those bright specks in the night sky are. This sense of curiosity and wonder is at the heart of a new children’s book by astronomer and writer Tom Kerss.
As a narrative poem it tells the story of a squirrel who looks up at the stars from his home in London’s Greenwich Park. Down from the heavens comes Cygnus the Swan, who gives the squirrel and the reader a lesson in stellar science.
We learn there are more stars than can be counted, that stars are born in gas clouds, that they are different colours and that our very own Sun is a star.
The story is beautifully told in a simple poetic style, capturing the awe felt by a tiny creature like a squirrel – or indeed a human – when confronted by the cosmos. Anni Betts’s accompanying artwork is wonderful and really comes to life when depicting our companion Cygnus and other glittering constellations.
A short epilogue reiterates the science we’ve learned in simple language, and there’s a call to action too, inviting the reader to find Cygnus in the night sky for themselves.
This is a captivating children’s book and a great introduction to astronomy, while its subject matter and soothing rhyme scheme make for a good night-time story. But the biggest praise I can give is to repeat the words of my two year-old, who at the book’s close simply looked up at me and said: “Again!”
★★★★★
Iain Todd is BBC Sky at Night Magazine’s Staff Writer
The Value of the Moon
Paul D Spudis Smithsonian Books £16.99 PB
The Moon is one of the brightest objects in our night sky and, at only 385,000 kilometres away, is the nearest celestial object to Earth. It’s no wonder that for centuries it has been watched, studied and discussed. But what value does the Moon have for us? Probably more than you think. The Value of the Moon answers this question in a thoughtful, clear and interesting way, and yet despite its short length (the main text being only 210 pages long), there is a great deal to learn and digest.
Paul D Spudis covers a range of topics, including the origins of the Moon, the successful launches of the Apollo programme and why the Moon was consequently abandoned. He explores the political and fiscal aspects that challenged and shaped future missions, but makes one thing clear: the Moon is an untapped resource. Spudis explains why this is so by highlighting three of the principal advantages of Earth’s natural satellite: it’s close, it’s interesting and it’s useful. The Moon, as the author puts it, “is always available”: it allows frequent launches; it can be exploited for its materials and resources; and, of course, it holds great scientific value.
The Value of the Moon will intrigue anyone with an interest in spaceflight and our future relationship with our natural satellite. It would have been interesting if Spudis had incorporated space law into the text but nevertheless, the enthusiasm and knowledge with which he writes is impressive and will undoubtedly challenge the reader to form their own opinions on utilising the Moon for the benefit of humankind, positive or negative.
★★★★
Katrin Raynor-Evans is an astronomy writer and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society