Stamping Through Astronomy : A History of Astronomy through Stamps and Philately

The book is about the fascinating intersection of philately and astronomy. In all countries of the world, stamps and other philatelic documents are continuously issued to celebrate scientists, places, astronomical instruments for observing the sky, discoveries and theories, astronomical events, institutions, conferences, and more. This second edition of “Stamping Through Astronomy” aims to offer readers not only an overview of the philatelic material that has appeared in recent years but also an updated picture of the development of astronomical research and our vision of the Universe. Stamps and other postal documents are indeed powerful and attractive vehicles for presenting astronomy and its development. Written with expertise and great enthusiasm, this unique book offers a historical and philatelic survey of astronomy and related topics on space exploration. It contains more than 1600 color reproductions of stamps relating to the history of astronomy, ranging from the earliest observations of the sky to modern research conducted with satellites and space probes. Featured are the astronomers and astrophysicists who contributed to this marvelous story—not only Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, Herschel, and Einstein but also hundreds of other minor protagonists who played important roles in the development of this, the most ancient yet the most modern of all the sciences. The book also examines in depth the diverse areas that have contributed to the history of astronomy, including instrumentation, theories, and observations. Many stamps illustrate the beauty and mystery of celestial objects: galaxies, nebulae, stars, planets, satellites, comets, and minor celestial bodies.