A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy by George F... - 9781108014755

A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical AstronomyAuthor(s): George Frederick Chambers\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom\nImprint: Cambridge University Press\nISBN-13: 9781108014755, 978-1108014755\nSynopsis\nThis handbook by George Frederick Chambers [tel], a young and enthusiastic amateur astronomer, became a best-seller soon after its publication in 1861 and made Chambers' reputation as a popular astronomy writer. The work is divided into ten parts covering the following topics: the planets of our solar system; eclipses; gravity and tides; phenomena including aberration and refraction; comets; chronological astronomy; stars; astronomical instruments; the history of astronomy; and meteoric astronomy. It is richly illustrated with photographs and woodcuts depicting a wide variety of astronomical phenomena. Chambers went on to become one of the leading amateur astronomers of the nineteenth century. The usefulness and accessibility of his practic.