The Neptune File
by Standage, Tom
A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet HuntingThe Neptune File is the first full account of the dramatic events surrounding the eighth planet’s discovery, and the story of two remarkable men who were able to “see” on paper what astronomers looking through telescopes for more than 200 years had never seen.On June 26, 1841, John couch Adams, a brilliant young mathematician at Cambridge University, chanced upon a report by England’s Astronomer Royal, George Airy, describing unsuccessful attempts to explain the mystifying orbital behavior of the planet Uranus, discovered 65 years earlier. Adams theorized that Uranus’s orbit was being affected by the gravitational pull of another, as-yet-unseen planet. Furthermore, he believed that he did not need to see the planet to know where it was. Four years later, his daring mathematical calculations pinpointed the planet’s location, but Airy failed to act on them—a controversial lapse that would have international repercussions.Soon after Adams’s “proof,” a rival French astronomer, Urbain Le Verrier, also calculated the planet’s position, and the race was on to actually view it. Found just where Adams and Le Verrier had predicted, the planet was named Neptune—and as the first celestial object located through calculation rather than observation, its discovery pioneered a new method for planet hunting.Drawing on long-lost documents in George Airy’s Neptune scrapbook, which resurfaced at an observatory in Chile in 1999. The Neptune File is a tale of heroes and cranks, amateur astronomers, and knighted celebrities. And the tale continues to unfold. Though 150 years would pass before another planet was “calculated,” since the 1995 discovery of a planet circling star 51 Pegasi dozens of planets have been detected in orbit around distant stars. Yet none of them has ever been seen. Their discovery—and the history of science—owes much to the two men who dared to first place celestial calculation before observation.
Reviews
Review this book!
Available Copies
The Neptune File - Planet Detectives and the Discovery Of Worlds Unseen
by Tom Standage
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Hardback
- ISBN
- 9780713994728
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
£9.61
Show Details
Description:
Hardback. Very Good. Item Price
£9.61
The Neptune File : A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Tom Standage
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
£4.75
Show Details
Description:
Walker & Company, 2000. Hardcover. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
£4.75
The Neptune File : A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Tom Standage
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
£4.75
Show Details
Description:
Walker & Company, 2000. Hardcover. Very Good. Disclaimer:May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
£4.75
Neptune File, The : A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- 1st
- Published
- 2000-10-01
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Middlebury, Vermont, USA
- Item Price
-
£8.71
Show Details
Description:
US: Walker & Company, 2000-10-01. 1st. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 240 pages, b&w illustrations. Light shelf-wear to dust jacket, otherwise a clean, tight copy. Record # 463404 Item Price
£8.71
The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Very Good+
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good- Dust Jacket
- Published
- 2000-10-01
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Item Price
-
£6.34
Show Details
Description:
Walker Books, 2000-10-01. Hardcover. Very Good+/Very Good- Dust Jacket. 1st edition, 1st printing. From a private collection. Tight and clean, with sharp corners. Unclipped DJ has rubbing. Ships from Dinkytown in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Item Price
£6.34
The Neptune File : A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, USA
- Item Price
-
£3.96
Show Details
Description:
Walker Books, Limited. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
£3.96
The Neptune File; A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
melbourne, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
£10.54
Show Details
Description:
Walker & Company, New York, 2000. First Edition. Hardcover. Good/Good. 445 g.; XIV, 242 pages, last two pages blank, preface by author, acknowledgements, notes, sources and index. Black coloured endpapers. The text is illustrated with contemporary black-and-white drawings, cartoons and illustrations, and the occasional line drawing. Green coloured boards with silver… Read more about this item Item Price
£10.54
The Neptune File : A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used
- Jacket Condition
- Dust Jacket Included
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
North Adams, Michigan, USA
- Item Price
-
£7.53
Show Details
Description:
New York, NY, U.S.A.: Walker & Company, 2000, 2000. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Dust Jacket Included. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Very good hard cover with very good dust jacket. 1st printing. 240 pages.
Item Price
£7.53
The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Published
- 2000-10-01
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA
- Item Price
-
£6.34
Show Details
Description:
Walker Books, 2000-10-01. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8x6x0. Each book is inspected by store owner/staff. Item Price
£6.34
The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
£7.13
Show Details
Description:
Hardcover - 240 pages (October 1, 2000) Walker & Company; ISBN: 0802713637 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.96 x 8.34 x 5.97.First edition. Some rubbing of foil cover (probably a common problem because of nature of cover), otherwise near fine book in very good plus dust jacket.. Item Price
£7.13
The Neptune File - Planet Detectives and the Discovery Of Worlds Unseen
by Tom Standage
- Condition
- New
- Published
- 2000-01-01
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780713994728
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
San Diego, California, USA
- Item Price
-
£95.56
Show Details
Description:
Allen Lane / The Penguin Press, 2000-01-01. Hardcover. New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! Item Price
£95.56
THE NEPTUNE FILE: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good -
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seneca, Pennsylvania, USA
- Item Price
-
£7.92
Show Details
Description:
New York: Walker & Co., 2000. (2000), 240pp, illus., 1st ed., 1st printing, light shelfwear to cover, sticker remains to dj, slight rubbing & edgewear to dj, contents clean.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good -. Item Price
£7.92
The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting [SIGNED COPY, FIRST PRINTING]
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Edition
- 1st Edition 1st Printing
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
San Francisco, California, USA
- Item Price
-
£18.18
Show Details
Description:
New York: Walker & Company, 2000. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Fine in fine dust jacket. SIGNED/inscribed by author on half-title page. 1st edition, 1st printing, complete number line. Rubbing to dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 256 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. By the author of 'The Turk: The Life and Times… Read more about this item Item Price
£18.18
The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
£1.45
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
£1.45
The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - very good, very good
- Edition
- First Edition. First Printing
- Published
- 2000
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Item Price
-
£17.82
Show Details
Description:
New York: Walker & Company, 2000. First Edition. First Printing. very good, very good. 240, illus., notes, sources, index, pencil erasure on half-title, DJ in plastic sleeve. The first full account of the dramatic events surrounding the eighth planet's discovery, and the story of two remarkable men who were able to "see" on paper what astronomers looking through… Read more about this item Item Price
£17.82
The Neptune File
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Very Good+ in Very Good+ dust jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Weare,, New Hampshire, USA
- Item Price
-
£3.96
Show Details
Description:
Walker. Very Good+ in Very Good+ dust jacket. 2000. First Edition. Hardcover. 0802713637 . A crisp, clean, tightly bound hardcover copy lightly read, presenting light shelf wear only. . Item Price
£3.96
The Neptune File: Planet Detectives and the Discovery of Worlds Unseen by Tom Standage (2000-10-26)
by Tom Standage
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 1752-01-01
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
London, London, GBR
- Item Price
-
£6.49
Show Details
Description:
Allen Lane, 1752-01-01. Hardcover. Very Good. in x in x in. . Item Price
£6.49
The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Standage, Tom
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Item Price
-
£22.97
Show Details
Description:
Walker & Company, 2000. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Octavo. Photographs and Diagrams. A very well-written, engaging history of Herschel and his discovery of Neptune, told in a readable style without ignoring more complex astronomical discourses. A clean, unmarked and unclipped copy. Item Price
£22.97
The Neptune File : A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting
by Tom Standage
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780802713636
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
£4.75
Show Details
Description:
Walker & Company, 2000. Hardcover. Very Good. Disclaimer:Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
£4.75
The Neptune File
by Tom Standage
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Edition
- First Thus
- Published
- 2001
- Binding
- Soft cover
- ISBN
- 9780140294644
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Oudtshoorn, ZAF
- Item Price
-
£27.73
Show Details
Description:
International: Penguin Books, 2001 An excellent, clean and tightly bound book. Gift quality. Item Price
£27.73