The Perfect Machine: Building the Palomar Telescope

Almost a half-century after is completion, the 200-inch Palomar telescope remains an unparalleled combination of vast scale and microscope detail. As huge as the Patheon of Rome and as heavy as the Statue of Liberty, this magnificent instrument is so precisely built that its seventeen-foot mirror was hand-polished to a tolerance of 2/1,000,000 of an inch. The telescope's construction drove some to the brink of madness, made others fearful that mortals might glimpse heaven, and transfixed an entire nation. Ronald Florence weaves into his account of the creation of "the prefect machine" a stirring chronicle of ht birth of Big Science and a poignant rendering of an America mired in the depression yet reaching for the stars. more

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From: Amazon
Posted: Feb-27-2009

Needs more drawings

The book is well researched and documented.I found the writing captivating only in some parts, while other parts were a bit dry.Overall a good book that in my opinion has 2 flaws:- The explanation of the working of the telescope and its technological improvements are quite difficult to...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Feb-20-2009

The angels are in the details

This book is a comprehensive treatment of the course of events that led up to the building of the two hundred inch telescope on Mt. Palomar. It is very lengthy, well documented and from what I can tell, exceptionally accurate. It details the political, financial, engineering and manufacturing...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Jan-11-2009

A Definitive "Biography" of Palomar Observatory

Those fortunate enough to have visited or worked at Palomar Observatory are well aware of the grandeur of this structure and enterprise. When I first visited, I was struck by the temple-like beauty of this structure, a stunning white hemispheric dome atop a columnar and monolithic base, framed by...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Dec-08-2008

Perfect book

Probably one of the best books I have ever read. Written with just enough detail to be incredibly interesting, but not enough so your eyes glaze over. An absolute must read if you are intrigued by great acomplishments designed by man and learning how they were built.

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From: Amazon
Posted: Apr-28-2007

A Rare and Fabulous Book About a Mind-Boggling Telescope

I've been fascinated with the 200" Hale telescope on Mt Palomar since I read "The Glass Giant of Palomar" as kid. "The Perfect Machine" meets the highest standard you can apply to a non-fiction book--it reads like a novel. Not only does it correct the many errors and omissions of "The Glass...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Jul-09-2004

The story of the Palomar telescope and its predecessors

I purchased this book at the telescope gift shop on Mount Palomar back in 1996. I read it in the next few days. It is the fascinating tale of George Hale, a remarkable man who had to battle personal demons (in the form of debilitating mental breakdowns) to build the world's largest...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Oct-10-2003

I bought it for my father

I have no trouble pinpointing the splendid-ness of this book. All I have to do is mutate a cliche and say that "the angel is in the details." Florence's full, dramatic account of the various attempts to create the mirror for this enormous telescope -- first by General Electric and then by Corning...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Jul-02-2003

A nearly perfect book about a nearly perfect machine

Not only does Ronald Florence give a vibrant account of the design and construction of the Hale telescope, he manages to make the reader share his fascination for an admirable project and an awe-inspiring science machine. The book is better than well written, it is captivating. Having been...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Sep-04-2002

A fine rendering of a historic achievement

Florence's narrative brings alive the fascinating saga of the great Mt. Palomar reflector, in its time the world's largest telescope and a pioneering example of "Big Science." The instrument's gestation period, beginning in 1928 and interrupted by the second World War, was so long that three of...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Aug-15-2000

A hugely enjoyable book about a huge project....

A tale of modern engineering. The design and construction of the 200 inch Palomar observatory was possibly the first "big science" project of the modern era. Florence also provides much biographical information on George E. Hale, a necessity since the building of this telescope and the life...

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