3 Review(s)

About The Book : "Myths and Marvels of Astronomy" by Richard A. Proctor is a classic astronomy studies/astronomy history text that's still part of the essential reading last of astronomy students around the world. The biggest charm of astronomy resides in the lore and legends connected with its history, the strange fancies with which in old times it has been associated, and the half-forgotten myths to which it has given birth. This book explores all of them in magical detail, bringing these stories to life. The chief charm of astronomy for many people does not reside in the wonders revealed to us by the science, but in the lore and legends connected with its history, the strange fancies with which in old times it has been associated, the half-forgotten myths to which it has given birth. In our own times also, astronomy has had its myths and fancies, its wild inventions, and startling paradoxes. About The Author : Richard Anthony Proctor (23 March 1837–12 September 1888) was an English astronomer. He is best remembered for having produced one of the earliest maps of Mars in 1867 from 27 drawings by the English observer William Rutter Dawes. His map was later superseded by those of Giovanni Schiaparelli and Eugène Antoniadi and his nomenclature was dropped (for instance, his "Kaiser Sea" became Syrtis Major Planum). He used old drawings of Mars dating back to 1666 to try to determine the sidereal day of Mars. His final estimate, in 1873, was 24h 37m 22.713s, very close to the modern value of 24h 37m 22.663s. The crater Proctor on Mars is named after him. Richard Proctor's father died in 1850 and his mother attended to his education. He was sent to King's College London and subsequently earned a scholarship at St John's College, Cambridge. He graduated in 1860 as 23rd wrangler.