The Comet Sweeper: Caroline Herschel's Astronomical Ambition

by Claire Brock

Book Overview

Having escaped domestic servitude in Germany by teaching herself to sing, and established a career in England, Caroline Herschel learned astronomy while helping her brother William, then Astronomer Royal.

Soon making scientific discoveries in her own right, she swept to international scientific and popular fame. She was awarded a salary by George III in 1787 - the first woman in Britain to make her living from science.

But,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1785781669
• ISBN13: 9781785781667
• Release Date: January 2017
• Publisher: Icon Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Thorough and Well Balanced Biography

Caroline Herschel is a fascinating scientific pioneer as well as the overshadowed runt of a litter of German musical/military children, and this biography presents plenty of documentary evidence to back up its assertions. It is accurately and admirably researched from the source material, fascinating to read and easy to digest. The book is easy to read in one sitting, despite its size and heft. The paper is so thick and the margins are so large that a condensed edition would be more appropriate.