by Andrea Wulf
First published 2012
In 1761 and 1769, hundreds of astronomers around the world prepared their telescopes for an extraordinary celestial event. Venus would cross directly between Earth and the sun, offering scientists a rare opportunity to measure the universe itself. Andrea Wulf follows these dedicated observers as they traveled to remote corners of the globe, from Arctic wilderness to tropical islands, determined to capture precise measurements of the transit. The astronomers faced equipment failures, political conflicts, and dangerous journeys, all while competing with rivals from other nations. Yet this same rare phenomenon also united them in the first truly international scientific collaboration. Wulf reveals the personal stories behind the grand scientific endeavor, showing how individual passion and determination drove these men to risk everything for knowledge. Their collective efforts to observe Venus would reshape humanity's understanding of cosmic distances and our place in the solar system.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, astronomy, 21st-century, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction
Setting: Arctic, Tropics
Period: 1761, 1769
336 pages · Kindle Edition · Cornerstone Digital