William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse: Astronomy and the castle in nineteenth-century Ireland - Tapa blanda

'exceptional book, which is an invaluable, eclectic collection of ten scholarly articles... The book covers every aspect of William Parson's life, and those of many of his close collaborators, not least of who was his wife Mary.', Jonathan Maxwell, Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society, Book Review, 2014|The 7th Earl and his wife have worked tirelessly to preserve the heritage of Birr Castle. His ancestor's great telescope has been repaired, a Science Centre established and excellent facilities provided for the public (whom the 3rd Earl already made welcome in his own time). An observatory for radioastonomy has been opened within the demesne, placing it once again at the frontier of cosmology. Surely this is a perfect time to publish a comprehensive account of the life and times of William Parsons, with distinguished contributions from various hands. They view him from every angle, scientific, political and personal, together with his talented wife and children. A masterful chapter by Wolfgang Steinecke places Parsons very precisely in the progress of the great debate on nebular theories. , Denis Weaire, Trinity College Dublin, Irish Times (Weekend Review), 25 April 2015|There are fascinating stories here, and much detailed history, well referenced for the scholar. The illustrations, many of them photographs by Mary, are excellent....I have no hesitation in recommending it highly., Peredur Williams, The Observatory magazine Vol 135, No 1247, August 2015, 1 August 2015 'This book is a fascinating read, providing a full account of the life of William Parsons. The separate essays allow for chapters to be read and enjoyed individually, depending on the interests of the reader. It has been very well compiled and edited by Charles Mollan and will appeal to a wide audience, from those interested in deep-sky observation to those keen on Irish scientific history.' Matthew Doyle, Astronomy Ireland, June 2016 -- .

This book provides the first comprehensive biographical account of the Third Earl of Rosse. A remarkable man, he was a resident landlord and a key member of the Protestant ascendancy in nineteenth-century Ireland before, during and after the devastating Irish famine of the 1840s. He has received lasting fame as the builder of Birr Castle in County Offaly, where he constructed enormous reflecting telescopes which allowed the recognition for the first time of the spiral shape of some galaxies. As well as giving a comprehensive account of the engineering genius the astronomical achievements of the Earl and his assistants, the book reveals new details about his other key roles, not only in the local community at Birr, but in the Royal Society, of which he was president from 1848-54, in the British Association for the Advancement of Science, and in various political and administrative structures in Ireland. This volume also sheds new light on the family life of the Earl and Countess, whose children included Sir Charles Parsons, the inventor of the steam turbine engine, which revolutionised electricity generation and marine transport. The Countess' own pioneering achievements in photography are detailed here alongside reproductions of her work. With chapters from an international selection of distinguished contributors, this book will interest a wide readership, particularly historians of nineteenth-century British and Irish science, astronomy and photography, and those studying nineteenth-century Irish history.