Surveying the Skies

Born in London, Gareth Wynn-Williams received his BA and PhD degrees in physics from the University of Cambridge, specializing in radio astronomy.  He then switched wavelength to spend two years doing postdoctoral research with the infrared astronomy group at Caltech. He held a faculty teaching position at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge University for five years before taking up a professorship at the University of Hawaii in 1978, where he remained until he retired in 2012.  His research focus throughout his career has been interstellar matter in the Milky Way and in other galaxies.

• The Five Ages of Astronomy.- The Naked Eye Era.- The Telescope Era.- The Photography Era.- Radio Surveys.- Near-Infrared Surveys.- Far-infrared Surveys.- Ultraviolet Surveys.- X-ray Surveys - Gamma Ray Surveys.- The Gigasurvey Era.- Special Surveys.

"This book is all about the history of sky surveys. ... This book is published in Springer's Astronomers' Universe series, which delivers an armchair experience to active amateur astronomers. Fair enough. However, it is suitable, and deserves a much wider readership, because it is such a handy history of how the heavens have been harvested. ... It is a good introduction for graduates who are considering doctoral research in observational astronomy, and an essential reference book for libraries." (Simon Mitton, The Observatory, Vol. 137 (1256), February, 2017) "This work is a masterful summary of the history of surveys at all wavelengths in astronomy, detailing the major advances supported by modern technology. ... The book, intended for the lay reader, is extremely well written and highly recommended. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers." (D. E. Hogg, Choice, Vol. 54 (5), January, 2017)