Northern Star: J.S. Plaskett

"Plaskett’s legacy is covered nicely in this well-produced volume, and that, of course, includes his son, Harry, who became the Savilian Professor at Oxford. The first of the appendices lists his many publications; copious Notes follow – 90 pages of them – and a comprehensive Index concludes the book. A number of monochrome photos help bring the story to life."

David Stickland, The Observatory, December 2018

"This is a book that needed to be written. Its appeal may fall between the general public readership and that of active astronomers, but many passages bridge that gap, and it is evident that nothing has been omitted for those who crave detail and further reference. Northern Star will stand as a complete and thorough record of a remarkable Canadian, a definitive account of what he gave to the country and to the world of science."

John Hutchings, BC Booklook, March 18 2018 (online)

"The fact that Broughton was able to write an engaging narrative and produce a most valuable and profusely illustrated book in the history of twentieth century astronomy is a testament to his skills in this labour of love biography."

Dr. Clifford J. Cunningham, University of Southern Queensland, JAHH

"The book’s great strength is the range and depth of Broughton’s research. So thorough it is that it is hard to imagine anyone unearthing any more significant information about Plaskett. Broughton fashions his judgements carefully; the evidence he presents makes a compelling case for Plaskett as a skilled observational astronomer and highly talented institution builder."

Robert W. Smith, University of Alberta, Journal for the History of Anatomy, vol 49:3

"John Stanley Plaskett was a prominent member of what can be regarded as the first generation of Canadian professional scientists and firmly established Canada as a major partner in international astronomical research. In this thoroughly researched biography, Peter Broughton has given us a scholarly and readable account of Plaskett’s life and work."

Alan H. Batten, F.R.S.C

"The publication of Peter Broughton's Northern Star: J.S. Plaskett, is a watershed event for the history of Canadian astronomy. Plaskett, founder of the still-vital Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, was the first Canadian astrophysicist whose quality and quantity of research and professional connections ensured his ability to walk on the world stage of the discipline. Broughton's scholarship is thorough, and he presents it in an attractively readable form. Of particular value is the setting of Plaskett's career and work firmly in their contemporary context, the author's mature evaluations of Plaskett's scientific achievements, and the reproduction of many rare and previously unpublished archival photographs evoking the research and social contexts of the first formative period of astrophysics in Canada."

R.A. Rosenfeld, Archivist, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada