Practical Talks by an Astronomer

Jacoby, Harold, 1865-1932Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 256K words
Chapters: 26

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Practical Talks by an Astronomer by Harold JacobyAuthor: Jacoby, Harold, 1865-1932,Language: English, Class: QB: Science: Astronomy, Release Date: Oct 29, 2016

Editor's review

Titled Practical Talks by an Astronomer, this book comes from popular lectures by the early twentieth-century American astronomer Harold Jacoby and is an introductory astronomy reader aimed at general audiences rather than professional colleagues. Its value lies in presenting the astronomical knowledge of the time in the clear language of a lecture, with topics centered on celestial observation, astronomical instruments, and everyday observable phenomena, reading like a well-paced public talk. As a public-domain e-book, it preserves the knowledge framework and expressive habits of its era; readers can gain basic astronomical concepts and also see how an astronomer a century ago explained the universe to the public. It suits reading as a supplementary primer for astronomy enthusiasts, as research material for the history of science writing and science communication, and for readers who enjoy the old-style popular-science tone and prefer to read in segments during commutes or before sleep. Note that some data and conclusions in the book have been updated by later observations; readers should treat it as a historical popular text rather than a current astronomy handbook.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginning enthusiasts just getting into astronomy who want light lecture-style reading
Researchers interested in how science was communicated in the early twentieth century
General readers who enjoy the old-style popular-science tone and are willing to read in segments
Science writers and educators who need accessible astronomy material

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking the latest astronomical data and cutting-edge conclusions
Advanced learners who need systematic textbooks, exercises, and observation manuals
Visual readers expecting abundant star charts and color photographs

Reading tips

Read one or two lectures a day in order, then restate the core points in your own words to check understanding.
Jot down anything that conflicts with modern astronomical knowledge as comparative notes for the history of science.
Read alongside basic introductory astronomy materials, using the old lectures as concept introductions rather than final conclusions.
Excerpt the book's metaphors and explanatory approaches for use in your own popular-science writing or classroom presentations.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is the content of this book still accurate today?

The book was written in the early twentieth century; its basic concepts and explanatory framework remain useful for reference, but some data and conclusions have been updated by later observations. Treat it as historical popular reading and compare specific figures with modern sources.

Do I need a background in astronomy to understand it?

No. The title states that these are practical talks for general audiences, and the language is conversational; the author intended to explain astronomy to non-specialists. Complete beginners can read straight through and look up terms as needed.

Is it suitable for preparing astronomical observations?

Not as an observation manual. It leans toward conceptual explanation and lecture-style introduction, lacking modern observation procedures, star charts, and equipment guides. For actual observing, pair it with a contemporary observation handbook.

How should I pace my reading of this book?

The lecture format naturally suits segmented reading, one or two talks at a time. After each, summarize the key points in a few sentences; this keeps the pace and helps you compare old-era astronomical ideas with today's knowledge.

Comments

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About the author

Jacoby, Harold, 1865-1932 Author · American · 1865–1932

Harold Jacoby (1865–1932) was an American astronomer who taught for many years at Columbia University and worked mainly on astrometry. Beyond his professional observing and measuring, he was also committed to introducing astronomy to general readers. One work by him is held in this collection, Practical Talks by an Astronomer; judging from its title and his background, it is likely a popular discussion of astronomy in the form of talks, explaining astronomical phenomena and methods of observation to non-specialists. Public information about his family, education, and specific scholarly achievements is limited, so biographical details are difficult to set out; what is clear is that he combined the roles of researcher and popular science writer, and his book reflects the efforts of astronomers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to bring science to the public, offering some reference value for understanding how astronomy was popularized in the United States at that time.