William F. Denning (1848–1931) was a British astronomer famous for his planetary observations and meteor studies. Elected president of the Liverpool Astronomical Society in 1887, he wrote a series of articles on telescopes for the society's journal, which were brought together and republished in 1891 under the title Telescopic Work for Starlight Evenings. Intended as a contribution to popular astronomy, this book provides a varied introduction to telescopes and their usage. The opening essay traces the development of the telescope from antiquity, through Galileo and Newton's contributions in the seventeenth century, to contemporary progress in astronomy. Other chapters provide practical advice for conducting planetary observation and detailed studies of particular planets, as well as facts and figures about meteors and how to compute their orbit. This book provides a fascinating insight into the evolution of astronomy and will be a valuable resource for historians of science and amateur astronomers.
