The Cosmological Distance Ladder: Distance and Time in the Universe

by Michael Rowan-Robinson

The scale of cosmological distances has been a topic of dramatic controversy during the past decade. Experts estimating the size of the universe, as measured by the Hubble constant, have differed by as much as a factor of two. Just how big is the universe, and why have distance measurements varied to greatly? Michael Rowan-Robinson sheds new light on the origins of this controversy, critically reviewing the main techniques of measuring distances between astronomical bodies both within and outside our galaxy. Stars, galaxies, and cluster of galaxies all play a major part in the distance ladder, and knowledge of distance is essential for all branches of astronomy. As we examine the geometrical speculations of the Greeks and the first correct estimates of the relative distances of the planets from the Sun by Copernicus we realize that this is also a history of mankind's expanding horizon. Offering a fair, balanced review and a clear synthesis of the variety of techniques and methods for measuring cosmological distances (including the work of Gerard del Vaucouleurs, Allan Sandage, Gustav Tammann, and others), Rowan-Robinson integrates the various distance-measuring methods and presents a new, revised distance scale for the known universe. He supplies a unique perspective on modern astronomy itself as he pursues and expanding scale of distance from the solar system outward. Extensively illustrated with photographs and line drawings.

355 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Dee-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this at uni and actually liked it. I still own it.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe more people haven't read this.

I was just thinking about it while reading The 4% Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality. Certainly the Cosmological Distance Ladder came out before the Hubble supernova studies revealed that the Universe's expansion is accelerating.

This book was a great detective story; pretty technical but the broad themes have stayed with me. Our whole understanding of the cosmos is like a ladder. Start with pure geometry: parallax. You can really only measure maybe a couple hundred of the closest stars.

Blahblahblah. Standard candles. Cepheid variables. Type 1A supernovae. It's very edifying to have a modicum of technical grasp on how we know the inconceivable scale of our Universe.