Share
Fr. 103.00
Richard De Grijs, Andrew Jacob
William Dawes - Scientist, Governor, Abolitionist: Caught Between Science and Religion
English · Paperback / Softback
Shipping usually within 1 to 2 weeks (title will be printed to order)
Description
This book describes William Dawes' life and professional achievements. William Dawes was a British Marine serving as the official astronomer on board the First Fleet making the 1787-1788 voyage from Britain to the new colony of New South Wales. Between 1788 and 1791, Dawes established not one but two observatories within a kilometre of Sydney's present-day city centre, a full seven decades before the construction of Sydney's historical Observatory at Dawes' Point, today a stone's throw from the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
In this comprehensive biography, the authors discuss William Dawes' life and his considerable impact-as astronomer, engineer, surveyor, ordnance officer and intellectual centre point-on the early colony in New South Wales (in essence, his impact on the earliest history of Sydney as a settlement) and, subsequently, on the British colonies of Sierra Leone on the West African coast and Antigua in the West Indies.
Dawes' life and professional achievements are closely linked to the earliest history of Sydney as a British settlement. He is often considered a man of high morals, and as such his interactions with the local populations in New South Wales, Sierra Leone and Antigua were mostly deemed respectful and above reproach. He is seen a truly enlightened individual, far ahead of his time.
The authors of this book have a significant track record of successful and engaging communication of complex concepts in physics and astronomy with experts and non-experts alike. This biography touches on numerous aspects related to 18th century maritime navigation ("sailing on the stars"), societal relationships, the exploration of newly discovered lands, as well as the early history of Sydney and New South Wales, and the colonial histories of Sierra Leone and the West Indies. As such, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers, from scholars in the history of science and maritime navigation, to history enthusiasts ranging from local historians on Australia's eastern seaboard to members of the public with a keen interest in British colonial history.
List of contents
Part 1: 1762 (b.)-1787.- William Dawes' Rise as a Promising Scientist.- Correspondence with the Board of Longitude.- Astronomical observations on the First Fleet from England to Australia.- Part 2: 1788-1791.- Arrival in New South Wales, Establishment of Dawes' Observatory.- Lapérouse Expedition: Dawes-Dagelet Correspondence.-Patyegarang/Gadigal-Eora Indigenous Language Pursuits.- Military Events, Altercation with Governor Arthur Phillip.- Exploration and mapping of the colony of New South Wales.- Part 3:1792-1836 (d.).- Sierra Leone. Abolition of Slavery Campaign.- Later Life.
About the author
Andrew Jacob was born in England and shortly after taken to Australia by ship. He has lived in Sydney ever since, never far from Sydney Harbour. During his undergraduate student years, he began work at Sydney Observatory (part of the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences) as Astronomy Guide. In 2008, he gained his Ph.D. for determining distances to several Cepheid stars using the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer. Since 2015, he has been Curator of Astronomy at Sydney Observatory, where he is working on expanding the Museum's collection in contemporary astronomy. He is occasionally called on for comment by the media, when astronomical events catch the public's attention.
Product details
Authors | Richard De Grijs, Andrew Jacob |
Publisher | Springer, Berlin |
Languages | English |
Product format | Paperback / Softback |
Released | 01.12.2024 |
EAN | 9783031387760 |
ISBN | 978-3-0-3138776-0 |
No. of pages | 272 |
Dimensions | 155 mm x 15 mm x 235 mm |
Weight | 435 g |
Illustrations | XI, 272 p. 95 illus., 80 illus. in color. |
Series |
Springer Biographies |
Subject |
Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology
> Physics, astronomy
> General, dictionaries
|
Customer reviews
No reviews have been written for this item yet. Write the first review and be helpful to other users when they decide on a purchase.
Write a review
Thumbs up or thumbs down? Write your own review.