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Arthur Eddington

Arthur Eddington Quotes

Astronomer

Arthur Eddington was a distinguished British astronomer recognized for his contributions to astrophysics and cosmology. He is particularly renowned for his observations during the 1919 solar eclipse, which validated Einstein's theory of general relativity. Eddington's legacy in astronomy has significantly advanced our comprehension of the cosmos.

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Famous Arthur Eddington Quotes

“You cannot disturb the tiniest petal of a flower without the troubling of a distant star.”

Stars Flower Petals

Author:Arthur Eddington

“We are bits of stellar matter that got cold by accident, bits of a star gone wrong.”

Matter Stars Bits Gone Atheism Cold Accidents Stellar

Author:Arthur Eddington

“Man is slightly nearer to the atom than to the star. ... From his central position man can survey the grandest works of Nature with the astronomer, or the minutest works with the physicist. ... [K]nowledge of the stars leads through the atom; and important knowledge of the atom has been reached through the stars.”

Men Has Beens Important Science Stars Nature Position Astronomy Atoms Physicist Surveys Astronomers

Author:Arthur Eddington

“A star is drawing on some vast reservoir of energy by means unknown to us. This reservoir can scarcely be other than the subatomic energy which, it is known exists abundantly in all matter; we sometimes dream that man will one day learn how to release it and use it for his service. The store is well nigh inexhaustible, if only it could be tapped. There is sufficient in the Sun to maintain its output of heat for 15 billion years.”

Ifs Men Years Wells Mean Sometimes Matter Use Dream Science Energy Stars Existence Known Sun Learning One Day Stores Drawing Billions Release Heat Sufficient Output Reservoirs

Author:Arthur Eddington

“A hundred thousand million Stars make one Galaxy; A hundred thousand million Galaxies make one Universe. The figures may not be very trustworthy, but I think they give a correct impression.”

Thinking Giving May Science Universe Stars Millions Figures Thousand Hundred Impression Galaxy Trustworthy

Book:The Expanding Universe: Astronomy's 'Great Debate', 1900-1931

Source: The Expanding Universe: Astronomy's 'Great Debate', 1900-1931

“It is reasonable to hope that in the not too distant future we shall be competent to understand so simple a thing as a star.”

Stars Simple Future Reasonable Competent

Book:The Internal Constitution of the Stars

Source: The Internal Constitution of the Stars

“I am aware that many critics consider the conditions in the stars not sufficiently extreme . . . the stars are not hot enough. The critics lay themselves open to an obvious retort: we tell them to go and find a hotter place.”

Enough Stars Conditions Hot Lays Critics Obvious Extremes Hotter Retorts

Author:Arthur Eddington

“I ask you to look both ways. For the road to a knowledge of the stars leads through the atom; and important knowledge of the atom has been reached through the stars.”

Way Looks Has Beens Important Asks Stars Atoms

Author:Arthur Eddington

“An electron is no more (and no less) hypothetical than a star. Nowadays we count electrons one by one in a Geiger counter, as we count the stars one by one on a photographic plate.”

Science Stars Plates Hypothesis Electrons Hypothetical

Book:New Pathways in Science: Messenger Lectures (1934)

Source: New Pathways in Science: Messenger Lectures (1934)

“The helium which we handle must have been put together at some time and some place. We do not argue with the critic who urges that the stars are not hot enough for this process; we tell him to go and find a hotter place.”

Has Beens Enough Together Science Stars Process Hot Critics Arguing Handle Urges Hotter Helium

Author:Arthur Eddington

About the Author

Born: December 28, 1882
Died: November 22, 1944
Known for: Astronomer
Quotes: 80

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Science Theory Ifs Stars Men Physics Mathematics May World Has Beens Knowledge Law Nature Physicist Universe Electrons Found Math Mathematical Mind

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Books & Sources

New Pathways in Science: Messenger Lectures (1934)Related source material

The Nature of the Physical World: Gifford Lectures (1927)Related source material

The nature of the physical worldRelated source material

The Philosophy of Physical Science: Tarner Lectures (1938)Related source material

New Pathways In ScienceRelated source material

The Expanding Universe: Astronomy's 'Great Debate', 1900-1931Related source material

The Internal Constitution of the StarsRelated source material

The mathematical theory of relativityRelated source material

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