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66
/100
I Index Overall Rating
Readers
70/100Critics
61/100Scholars
Author:
Emma Chapman
Publisher:
Bloomsbury Sigma
Date:
February 23, 2021
From her perch at the Royal Astronomical Society at Imperial College London, Chapman explores the birth of our universe's earliest stars, why they were so unusual and what they can teach us about the universe today. She also offers a first-hand look at the immense telescopes about to come on line to peer into the past, search for the echoes and footprints of these stars and to take this period in the universe's history from the realm of theoretical physics towards the wonder of observational astronomy.
What The Reviewers Say
These first stars...have never been seen, and Chapman's new book, First Light: Switching on Stars at the Dawn of Time, does a great job explaining why they've proved so elusive. But don't worry if you can't recall your high school astrophysics; Chapman is a sure-footed and entertaining guide.
First Light, a thoroughly engaging tale that allows us to see science in the making, chronicles current attempts to reveal this hidden era—what we know and what we don’t know. Ms. Chapman herself is in the thick of this endeavor and serves as a wonderful guide, whose voice is reminiscent of Carl Sagan’s , although with an extra and very welcome dollop of impish humor. I know of no other astronomy book that includes references to Doctor Who, Tutankhamen and cyanobacteria in its metaphors and analogies. From page to page, you get caught up in her excitement.
The text can get pretty technical at times, but Chapman employs a conversational tone and sprinkles in stories and wry observations that will keep readers entertained.
Clearly fascinated by her subject, Chapman works diligently to describe the early universe, gradually introducing information about the life cycles of stars and techniques astrophysicists use to search for them. Her careful step-by-step explanations delve far deeper than a NOVA documentary, so readers must pay attention, but most will find it worth the effort. Good astrophysics for committed readers..
