ABSTRACT
Drawing on his vast knowledge and direct experience of most of the key events in astronomy and space exploration during this century, Patrick Moore takes a sideways look at the historical reports and contemporary thought behind a wide range of astronomical topics. The Wandering Astronomer presents his personal accounts of the towering characters of
TABLE OF CONTENTS
chapter 5|7 pages
Fishing Hipparcos Down
of the more successful probes of the late 20th century was of the positions of 118,000 stars. It was amazingly precise; the of the final measurements was from 1 to 1.5 milli-arc
chapter 25|3 pages
A Year on Icarus
of the Solar System. One irritated German astronomer went so of the skies", because their trails
chapter 30|3 pages
Moons
of the planets the Solar System are attended by satel- of sixty-one. Only Mercury and Venus are
chapter 36|3 pages
Life Can Appear -but Will it?
of special interest to us. It is less unlike of life. True, Percival of myth, but we cannot yet be sure that Mars is, and
