The Peripatetic Astronomer

This biography of Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819-1900), the second Astronomer Royal for Scotland, tells of his wide-ranging interests and enthusiasms outside his specialist subject as well as his travels in the cause of astronomy. Piazzi Smyth is best remebered as the 'Father of Mountain Astronomy'; more than 130 years ago he recognised the importance for observational astronomy of placing telescopes at high altitudes and in 1856 he demonstrated the outstanding qualities of the Canary Islands - now home to the world's newest international observatory.
He also distinguished himself in other branches of physical astronomy and made major contributions to solar, atmospheric and laboratory spectroscopy. Piazzi Smyth's unpublished personal journals, covering the 40 years of his life as Astronomer Royal for Scotland, have formed the basis for this book. Many of the illustrations are taken from the journals and are in Piazzi Smyth's own hand, and some of his early photographic work is also included.