The Power of Stars (PDF)

Dr. Bryan Penprase received a B.S. in Physics and an M.S. in Applied Physics from Stanford University in 1985 and his Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1992 from the University of Chicago. He served at both universities as both a Research and Teaching Assistant, was a Predoctoral Research Fellow at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and an NRC Postdoctoral Researcher at IPAC/Caltech in Pasadena. Dr. Penprase has been a professor of Physics and Astronomy and Director of the Brackett Observatory at Pomona College since 1993. Dr. Penprase recently was awarded a Downing Exchange Award to become a visiting fellow at Downing College, Cambridge, in his work on quasar absorption lines. He also was a visiting scholar at the Harvard Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and an ASEE/JPL Summer faculty fellow. Dr. Penprase recently has been conducting research at Caltech, the Carnegie Observatories, and JPL using the Las Campanas Observatory, the Keck Telescope and Hubble Space telescope, among other facilities. He has worked extensively in many areas of astrophysics, primarily in observational astronomy related to the interstellar medium and star formation. Dr. Penprase most recently has focused his observing efforts to include observations with the Pomona College 1-meter telesccope, and the Keck telescope in Hawaii. Dr. Penprase's research in astronomy and astrophysics has taken him around the world, to observe with telescopes such as the Australian AAT, the observatories of CTIO and ESO in Chile, Caltech's telescopes on Mauna Kea and at Palomar, and the Nordic Optical telescope in La Palma, Spain. He has given astronomy tours and talks since 1986 at the Yerkes Observatory, in Williams Bay Wisconsin, and public sky shows at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, as well as a popular monthtly planetarium show in Claremont at the Millikan Planetarium of Pomona College.

… I greatly enjoyed reading Penprase’s book. It was a thought-provoking, incisive, world-encompassing, beautifully illustrated, and reasonably sceptical.” (David W. Hughes, The Observatory, Vol. 131 (1222), June, 2011)

“Well worth a read for any astronomer – amateur or professional … . This is a really handsome book … . Colourful, educational, insightful and entertaining, it’s a veritable treasure chest of knowledge. Whether your interest is in looking at star charts and atlases from the comfort of your armchair, or standing in a dew-soaked field at dawn watching planets glowing above the eastern horizon before dawn, this is a book that really, really does need to be on your bookshelf as soon as possible.” (Cumbrian Sky, May, 2011)

“The majority of topics are well arranged to survey how many different cultures over a wide stretch of world history have experienced the sky. … the text is clear and the numerous high-quality illustrations are appropriate. … excellent general reference to astronomy and its uses in ancient Babylon, China, Egypt, Greece, and the Australian bush, and by Native Americans and others. An excellent bibliography and index of figures are an added value. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates and general readers.” (M. K. Hemenway, Choice, Vol. 48 (9), May, 2011)

“It’s rarely been my pleasure to read a book of such expansive, eloquent erudition. … illustrate the plethora of ways humans throughout history ‘responded to the sky’ – sometimes ‘with fear, sometimes with great artistry and other times with great rationality’. Indeed, some ancient responses seem remarkably prescient. … will fascinate everyone from the most hardened scientific materialist to astrologers to ancient astronaut advocates. … The Power of Stars is a fascinating testament to that endearing fascination. Very highly recommended.” (Mark Greener, Fortean Times, 2011)