This excellent book about the astronomers who use the Big Eye—the
five-metre telescope on Mount Palomar in California—was first published in
1991. Not since Fred Hoyle’s novel, The Black Cloud, has there been a better
account of what it is like to be an astronomer peering through one of the finest
astronomical instruments in the world. Richard Preston’s First Light is
published by Corgi, £6.99/$24, ISBN 0552997846.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
2
Screwworm could be the first species targeted by an 'extinction drive'
3
You should turn off fans when it's too hot – but how hot is too hot?
4
Possible signs of ancient life on Mars are rich in complex carbon
5
‘Fusogenic’ neurosurgery let paralysed pigs walk again – are we next?
6
All known Homo naledi skeletons seem to be female
7
How some people's brains make an extraordinary recovery from stroke
8
Huge crater in Australia may be the oldest impact structure on Earth
9
How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after
10
Most portable air conditioners suck – but there's an easy fix
