Comet of the Enlightenment

"It is an interesting read about an exciting man in the middle of several eighteenth-century scientific networks. Using extensive source material, Sten certainly manages to show that Lexell is a man worth studying and someone who was an important part of the St. Petersburg academy of the eighteenth century. He also provides a wealth of quotations and references that will definitely be of use to historians interested in eighteenth-century astronomy and mathematics." (Jacob Orrje, Isis, Vol. 107 (1), March, 2016) "A Comet of the Enlightenment, authored by Johan C.-E. Sten, is the first full biography of Anders Johan Lexell (1740-1784) ... Sten does a masterful job of showing us not only Lexell the person, but also how Lexell's professional life and choices were influenced by the political and academic cultures of his day. ... Readers of A Comet of the Enlightenment will learn a lot about Lexell and even more about the enlightened culture in which he lived." (Cindia Davis Stewart, MAA Reviews, October, 2014) "The book is much more than a biography because it includes the broad cultural surrounding. ... The book includes many beautiful pictures, some of them in colours. ... At the end, the author gives a list of Lexell's publications, containing 107 entries. This biography is to be highly recommended not only to historians, but as well to historians of astronomy and to historians of mathematics." (Karin Reich, zbMATH, Vol. 1296, 2014)

• 1 Setting the scene.- 2 The humble beginnings.- 3 New prospects in Saint Petersburg.- 4 Formation of an Academician.- 5 Professor of astronomy.- 6 Professional relations and correspondence.- 7 Academic events in Saint Petersburg.- 8 Lexell’s work in mathematics.- 9 Academic Journey 1780–1781.- 10 Return to an Academy in crisis.- 12 A sketch of Lexell’s personality.- 13 Conclusion.- 14 Appendices.