The Perfect Machine: Building the Palomar Telescope [Paperback]

Ronald Florence (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 13, 1995

Almost a half-century after is completion, the 200-inch Palomar telescope remains an unparalleled combination of vast scale and microscope detail. As huge as the Pantheon of Rome and as heavy as the Statue of Liberty, this magnificent instrument is so precisely built that its seventeen-foot mirror was hand-polished to a tolerance of 2/1,000,000 of an inch. The telescope's construction drove some to the brink of madness, made others fearful that mortals might glimpse heaven, and transfixed an entire nation. Ronald Florence weaves into his account of the creation of "the perfect machine" a stirring chronicle of the birth of Big Science and a poignant rendering of an America mired in the depression yet reaching for the stars.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A superb history by a super writer and historian." -- -- Allan Sandage

"Over to you, Pulitzer Prize Committee." -- -- Arthur C. Clarke

"A superb history by a super writer and historian." -- Allan Sandage

"Over to you, Pulitzer Prize Committee." -- Arthur C. Clarke

About the Author

Ronald Florence was educated at Berkeley and Harvard. The author of five previous books, he lives with his wife and son on the Connecticut shore, where they raise Cotswold sheep.

Product Details

• Paperback: 451 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; First Edition edition (September 13, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060926708
• ISBN-13: 978-0060926700
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Telescopes
  • #59 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Optics
  • #65 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Star-Gazing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hugely enjoyable book about a huge project...., August 15, 2000

By 

John Rummel (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Perfect Machine: Building the Palomar Telescope (Paperback)

A tale of modern engineering. The design and construction of the 200 inch Palomar observatory was possibly the first "big science" project of the modern era. Florence also provides much biographical information on George E. Hale, a necessity since the building of this telescope and the life of Hale were so intertwined as to be inseparable. Put simply, even if you have no background in astronomy or telescope-making, this book presents a story of a huge engineering undertaken. Nothing of the scale had ever been considered before and the designers and builders had to confront countless unique problems and invent new techniques along the way. This book is a classic in the history of modern astronomy, but enjoyable for anyone who loves reading about massive construction projects.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, October 11, 1999

By 

David Skirmont (Los Gatos, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Perfect Machine: Building the Palomar Telescope (Paperback)

If you ever wanted to know how large telescopes are built, then this is the book for you. Perfect Machine captures the time, climate, and excitement of one of the most complex science and engineering projects ever. Starting with the 100 inch Mount Wilson telescope, this book traces the history of Hale and his ever more ambitious telescope projects. Great projects require great visionaries and Hale was certainly the one who could pull this off. Filled with details and insights, this is one of the best science history books that I have read. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in telescopes, astronomy, or engineering. After reading this book I went 200 miles out of my way on a vacation to see the Telescope in person. It was well worth it!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nearly perfect book about a nearly perfect machine, July 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Perfect Machine: Building the Palomar Telescope (Paperback)

Not only does Ronald Florence give a vibrant account of the design and construction of the Hale telescope, he manages to make the reader share his fascination for an admirable project and an awe-inspiring science machine. The book is better than well written, it is captivating. Having been closely involved in a major telescope project, I can only state that his account of the production of the "giant eye" rings true. Rarely has a science writer shown so much understanding of the intricate processes, technologies, and human relations underlying a large science project. Still, there are a few disturbing inaccuracies in Florence's story. On a number of occasions, the author wrongly gives credit to the Palomar telescope designers for innovations that had been experimented long before, such as the principle of the support of the primary mirror, actually due to Lassel (Malta, 1861). The account of the in-situ finishing of the primary mirror sounds completely implausible, the metrology of the time (I saw the Hartmann screen on the occasion of a privileged visit in 1995) being of too low resolution to allow any meaningful verification of local refiguring as reported by Florence. The post-1950 period would also have deserved a somewhat broader and fairer account; the Russian 6-m may not have been a success comparable to the Palomar but paved the way for modern mechanical designs, and the advent of entirely new and far-reaching concepts, such as active optics, in the hands of European designers and suppliers is completely ignored. Still, the vision and the endeavour underlying the making of the Palomar telescope emanate from every page; it is a nearly perfect book about a nearly perfect machine.