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More than two centuries before Einstein, using a crude telescope and a mechanical timepiece, Danish astronomer Ole Romer measured the speed of light with astounding accuracy. How was he able to do this when most scientists didn't even believe that light traveled? Like many paradigm-shattering discoveries, Romer's was accidental. Night after night he was timing the disappearance and reappearance of Jupiter's moon Io behind the huge, distant planet. Eventually he realized that the discrepancies in his measurements could have only one explanation: Light had a speed, and it took longer to reach Earth when Earth was farther from Jupiter. All he needed then to calculate light's speed was some fancy geometry.
About the author
MARK WESTON graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in History; studied for a year at the London School of Economics; and earned a law degree from the University of Texas. He has been a lawyer for ABC Television and a journalist for ABC News. In 1991, Mark won enough money on TV's Jeopardy! to start a company that makes geographical jigsaw puzzles for children, which he sold after three years. His history books include
Giants of Japan and
Prophets and Princes: Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present. His children's books include
Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars.
Summary
Kirkus Star Junior Library Guild Gold Selection Mark Weston’s high-interest story and Rebecca Evans’s colorful graphics make scientific discovery the coolest thing this side of Jupiter.
