The Realm of the Nebulae

by Edwin Hubble, James E. Gunn (Introduction)

Overview

No modern astronomer made a more profound contribution to our understanding of the cosmos than did Edwin Hubble, who first conclusively demonstrated that the universe is expanding. Basing his theory on the observation of the change in distanct galaxies, called red shift, Hubble showed that this is a Doppler effect, or alteration in the wavelength of light, resulting from the rapid motion of celestial objects away from Earth. In 1935, Hubble described his principal observations and conclusions in the Silliman lectures at Yale University. These lectures were published the following year as "The Realm of the Nebulae," which quickly became a classic work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300025002
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	01/01/1936
Series:	The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	226
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Edwin Hubble spent most of his illustrious career at the Mount Wilson Observatory, in Pasadena, California. Robert P. Kirshner is Clowes Professor of Science at Harvard University. Sean M. Carroll is Senior Research Associate at the California Institute of Technology.

Table of Contents

Illustrations ix

Tables xi

Foreword Sean M. Carroll xiii

Foreword Robert P. Kirshner xxvii

Foreword James E. Gunn xliii

Preface to the 1958 Edition Allan Sandage xlvii

Preface li

Introduction 1

I The Exploration of Space 20

II Family Traits of Nebulae 36

III The Distribution of Nebulae 58

IV Distances of Nebulae 83

V The Velocity-Distance Relation 102

VI The Local Group 124

VII The General Field 152

VIII The Realm of the Nebulae 182

Index 203

Editorial Reviews

This enduring work is the closest we can get to Edwin Hubble's personal thoughts as he broke open the boundaries of the universe in the early twentieth century. In this compelling summary of his historic observations of myriad galaxies swiftly moving outward in space-time, we see both his awe--and his doubts--over the new and surprising cosmos he had revealed. A true classic of scientific literature.--Marcia Bartusiak, MIT, author of The Day We Found the Universe

--Marcia Bartusiak

From the Publisher

"This enduring work is the closest we can get to Edwin Hubble’s personal thoughts as he broke open the boundaries of the universe in the early twentieth century. In this compelling summary of his historic observations of myriad galaxies swiftly moving outward in space-time, we see both his awe—and his doubts—over the new and surprising cosmos he had revealed. A true classic of scientific literature."—Marcia Bartusiak, MIT, author of The Day We Found the Universe

Marcia Bartusiak