The Cold Light of Dawn: A History of Canadian Astronomy

The discovery in 1987 of a supernova brought to world attention the excellence of Canadian astronomers. As Richard Jarrell explains in this book, the path to excellence has been a long one. Although astronomy has been practised in this country from the earliest days of exploration, its professional status has slowly evolved in much the same way as has the nation itself.

In the period of exploration and early settlement, the practical needs of navigators and surveyors were foremost. Astrono...