Crelinsten, Jeffrey.
Einstein's Jury : The Race to Test Relativity. - 1 online resource (431 pages)
Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- CONTENTS -- List of Illustrations -- List of Tables -- Preface -- Introduction -- Notation Convention for Angular Measure -- Abbreviations -- PART ONE: 1905-1911: Early Encounters with Relativity -- CHAPTER ONE: Einstein and the World Community of Physicists and Astronomers -- Einstein Enters the World Stage -- The Astronomy Community -- The Astrophysics Revolution -- European Brains and American Money -- California Astronomy: The Nation's Leader -- CHAPTER TWO: Astronomers and Special Relativity: The First Publications -- Henry Crozier Plummer and the Problem of Aberration -- Edmund Taylor Whittaker: Relativity and the Ether -- Relativity and Subjectivism -- Using Relativity to Calculate Planetary Orbits -- American Astronomers' Introduction to Relativity -- PART TWO: 1911-1919: Astronomers Encounter Einstein -- CHAPTER THREE: The Early Involvement, 1911-1914 -- Einstein's Two Predictions -- Solar Eclipses, "Vulcan," and the Principle of Relativity -- Einstein Finds an Astronomer -- Puzzles in the Sun's Spectrum -- The Russian Eclipse of 1914 -- CHAPTER FOUR: The War Period, 1914-1918 -- Troubles with Freundlich -- Einstein's Breakthrough -- The "Freundlich Affair" -- News of Einstein's Breakthrough Spreads -- Mixed Reactions to a Complicated Theory -- Constructing the Universe -- Challenges from Solar Observations -- Lick Astronomers Go Eclipse Hunting -- Einstein Liberates Freundlich -- CHAPTER FIVE: 1919: A Year of Dramatic Announcement -- Evershed's Earth Effect versus Relativity -- Delays and Technical Challenges at Lick -- Enter the British -- The Lick Verdict: "Einstein Is Wrong" -- The British Declare, "Einstein Is Right" -- CHAPTER SIX: Men of Science Agog -- Reactions to the British Eclipse Results -- Pressure from the Press -- The Role of Arthur Eddington -- Einstein the National Treasure. Hale Realizes His Vision -- PART THREE: 1920-1925: Astronomers Put Einstein to the Test -- CHAPTER SEVEN: Tackling the Solar Redshift Problem -- Evershed and St. John Declare the Case Unresolved -- "Einstein's Third Victory" -- Unraveling Complexities-Evershed versus St. John -- Evershed Votes for Einstein -- CHAPTER EIGHT: More Eclipse Testing -- Personnel Changes at Lick -- Conflicting Announcements on the Goldendale Results -- Preparations for the Australian Eclipse -- The 1922 Eclipse: All Eyes on Lick -- CHAPTER NINE: Emergence of the Critics -- Reactions to the Lick Results -- T.J.J. See versus the Lick Observatory -- An Antirelativity Coalition in the East -- The Ether Attempts a Comeback -- CHAPTER TEN: The Debate Intensifies -- Another Chance to Test Einstein -- Mount Wilson and Lick Vote for Einstein -- The Antirelativity Campaign Gains Momentum -- Confrontation -- A New Line of Evidence to Test Einstein -- PART FOUR: 1925-1930: Final Acceptance -- CHAPTER ELEVEN: Relativity Triumphs -- The 1925 Eclipse: Dissension in the Antirelativity Coalition -- The Relativity Debate circa 1925 -- Announcements for and against the Ether -- Announcement of the Sirius B Results -- John A. Miller and the Eclipse Tests -- Dayton C. Miller and the Ether Drift -- The 1928 Climax: Three More Pronouncements -- Reluctant Acceptance -- CHAPTER TWELVE: Silencing the Critics -- Charles Lane Poor versus the Lick Observatory -- Antirelativists Rally in the East -- The Final Showdown -- EPILOGUE: The Emergence of Relativistic Cosmology -- FINAL REFLECTIONS -- How Scientists Accept Theories -- Astronomers' Reception of Relativity -- Relativity and Us -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.
Einstein's Jury is the dramatic story of how astronomers in Germany, England, and America competed to test Einstein's developing theory of relativity. Weaving a rich narrative based on extensive archival research, Jeffrey Crelinsten shows how these early scientific debates shaped cultural attitudes we hold today. The book examines Einstein's theory of general relativity through the eyes of astronomers, many of whom were not convinced of the legitimacy of Einstein's startling breakthrough. These were individuals with international reputations to uphold and benefactors and shareholders to please, yet few of them understood the new theory coming from the pen of Germany's up-and-coming theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein. Some tried to test his theory early in its development but got no results. Others--through toil and hardship, great expense, and perseverance--concluded that it was wrong. A tale of international competition and intrigue, Einstein's Jury brims with detail gleaned from Crelinsten's far-reaching inquiry into the history and development of relativity. Crelinsten concludes that the well-known British eclipse expedition of 1919 that made Einstein famous had less to do with the scientific acceptance of his theory than with his burgeoning public fame. It was not until the 1920s, when the center of gravity of astronomy and physics shifted from Europe to America, that the work of prestigious American observatories legitimized Einstein's work. As Crelinsten so expertly shows, the glow that now surrounds the famous scientist had its beginnings in these early debates among professional scientists working in the glare of the public spotlight.
9781400849673
Astronomy -- History -- 20th century.
Astrophysics -- History -- 20th century.
Einstein, Albert, -- 1879-1955.
Physics -- History -- 20th century.
Relativity (Physics).
Electronic books.
QC173.585.C74 2006eb
530.11
Einstein's Jury : The Race to Test Relativity. - 1 online resource (431 pages)
Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- CONTENTS -- List of Illustrations -- List of Tables -- Preface -- Introduction -- Notation Convention for Angular Measure -- Abbreviations -- PART ONE: 1905-1911: Early Encounters with Relativity -- CHAPTER ONE: Einstein and the World Community of Physicists and Astronomers -- Einstein Enters the World Stage -- The Astronomy Community -- The Astrophysics Revolution -- European Brains and American Money -- California Astronomy: The Nation's Leader -- CHAPTER TWO: Astronomers and Special Relativity: The First Publications -- Henry Crozier Plummer and the Problem of Aberration -- Edmund Taylor Whittaker: Relativity and the Ether -- Relativity and Subjectivism -- Using Relativity to Calculate Planetary Orbits -- American Astronomers' Introduction to Relativity -- PART TWO: 1911-1919: Astronomers Encounter Einstein -- CHAPTER THREE: The Early Involvement, 1911-1914 -- Einstein's Two Predictions -- Solar Eclipses, "Vulcan," and the Principle of Relativity -- Einstein Finds an Astronomer -- Puzzles in the Sun's Spectrum -- The Russian Eclipse of 1914 -- CHAPTER FOUR: The War Period, 1914-1918 -- Troubles with Freundlich -- Einstein's Breakthrough -- The "Freundlich Affair" -- News of Einstein's Breakthrough Spreads -- Mixed Reactions to a Complicated Theory -- Constructing the Universe -- Challenges from Solar Observations -- Lick Astronomers Go Eclipse Hunting -- Einstein Liberates Freundlich -- CHAPTER FIVE: 1919: A Year of Dramatic Announcement -- Evershed's Earth Effect versus Relativity -- Delays and Technical Challenges at Lick -- Enter the British -- The Lick Verdict: "Einstein Is Wrong" -- The British Declare, "Einstein Is Right" -- CHAPTER SIX: Men of Science Agog -- Reactions to the British Eclipse Results -- Pressure from the Press -- The Role of Arthur Eddington -- Einstein the National Treasure. Hale Realizes His Vision -- PART THREE: 1920-1925: Astronomers Put Einstein to the Test -- CHAPTER SEVEN: Tackling the Solar Redshift Problem -- Evershed and St. John Declare the Case Unresolved -- "Einstein's Third Victory" -- Unraveling Complexities-Evershed versus St. John -- Evershed Votes for Einstein -- CHAPTER EIGHT: More Eclipse Testing -- Personnel Changes at Lick -- Conflicting Announcements on the Goldendale Results -- Preparations for the Australian Eclipse -- The 1922 Eclipse: All Eyes on Lick -- CHAPTER NINE: Emergence of the Critics -- Reactions to the Lick Results -- T.J.J. See versus the Lick Observatory -- An Antirelativity Coalition in the East -- The Ether Attempts a Comeback -- CHAPTER TEN: The Debate Intensifies -- Another Chance to Test Einstein -- Mount Wilson and Lick Vote for Einstein -- The Antirelativity Campaign Gains Momentum -- Confrontation -- A New Line of Evidence to Test Einstein -- PART FOUR: 1925-1930: Final Acceptance -- CHAPTER ELEVEN: Relativity Triumphs -- The 1925 Eclipse: Dissension in the Antirelativity Coalition -- The Relativity Debate circa 1925 -- Announcements for and against the Ether -- Announcement of the Sirius B Results -- John A. Miller and the Eclipse Tests -- Dayton C. Miller and the Ether Drift -- The 1928 Climax: Three More Pronouncements -- Reluctant Acceptance -- CHAPTER TWELVE: Silencing the Critics -- Charles Lane Poor versus the Lick Observatory -- Antirelativists Rally in the East -- The Final Showdown -- EPILOGUE: The Emergence of Relativistic Cosmology -- FINAL REFLECTIONS -- How Scientists Accept Theories -- Astronomers' Reception of Relativity -- Relativity and Us -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.
Einstein's Jury is the dramatic story of how astronomers in Germany, England, and America competed to test Einstein's developing theory of relativity. Weaving a rich narrative based on extensive archival research, Jeffrey Crelinsten shows how these early scientific debates shaped cultural attitudes we hold today. The book examines Einstein's theory of general relativity through the eyes of astronomers, many of whom were not convinced of the legitimacy of Einstein's startling breakthrough. These were individuals with international reputations to uphold and benefactors and shareholders to please, yet few of them understood the new theory coming from the pen of Germany's up-and-coming theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein. Some tried to test his theory early in its development but got no results. Others--through toil and hardship, great expense, and perseverance--concluded that it was wrong. A tale of international competition and intrigue, Einstein's Jury brims with detail gleaned from Crelinsten's far-reaching inquiry into the history and development of relativity. Crelinsten concludes that the well-known British eclipse expedition of 1919 that made Einstein famous had less to do with the scientific acceptance of his theory than with his burgeoning public fame. It was not until the 1920s, when the center of gravity of astronomy and physics shifted from Europe to America, that the work of prestigious American observatories legitimized Einstein's work. As Crelinsten so expertly shows, the glow that now surrounds the famous scientist had its beginnings in these early debates among professional scientists working in the glare of the public spotlight.
9781400849673
Astronomy -- History -- 20th century.
Astrophysics -- History -- 20th century.
Einstein, Albert, -- 1879-1955.
Physics -- History -- 20th century.
Relativity (Physics).
Electronic books.
QC173.585.C74 2006eb
530.11