Understanding the Heavens: Thirty Centuries of Astronomical Ideas from Ancient Thinking to Modern CosmologySpringer Science & Business Media, 6 dic 2012 - 597 pagine Astronomy is the oldest and most fundamental of the natural sciences. From the early beginnings of civilization astronomers have attempted to explain not only what the Universe is and how it works, but also how it started, how it evolved to the present day, and how it will develop in the future. The author, a well-known astronomer himself, describes the evolution of astronomical ideas, briefly discussing most of the instrumental developments. Using numerous figures to elucidate the mechanisms involved, the book starts with the astronomical ideas of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian philosophers, moves on to the Greek period, and then to the golden age of astronomy, i.e. to Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton, and ends with modern theories of cosmology. Written with undergraduate students in mind, this book gives a fascinating survey of astronomical thinking. |
Sommario
2 | |
6 | |
8 | |
15 | |
Classical Greek Astronomy 55 | 54 |
Ptolemys Astronomy Questioned | 129 |
The Period of the Renaissance | 187 |
From Galileo to Newton | 253 |
Towards Modern Cosmology | 373 |
Cosmologies of Today and Tomorrow | 427 |
General Conclusion | 549 |
559 | |
576 | |
Altre edizioni - Visualizza tutto
Understanding the Heavens: Thirty Centuries of Astronomical Ideas from ... Jean-Claude Pecker Anteprima limitata - 2001 |
Understanding the Heavens: Thirty Centuries of Astronomical Ideas from ... Jean-Claude Pecker Anteprima non disponibile - 2010 |
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12th century actually al-Bitruji Anaximander angle apparent motion Arabic Aristarchus Aristotelian Aristotle astrolabe astronomical Averroes axis big bang bodies celestial Christian circular concept constant construction Copernican Copernicus cosmology deferent density described determined developed diameter discovery distance diurnal diurnal motion Earth ecliptic Einstein epicycle equal equans equator equinoxes essence ether Eudoxian Eudoxus fixed stars galaxies Galileo geometrical Gerard of Cremona gravitational Greek heliocentric hence Hipparchus ideas instruments interaction Jupiter Kepler later located lunar Mars mathematical measured Mercury modern Moon Moon's moving Newton Newtonian Note observations orbit Oresme parallax Paris particles period philosophers physics planetary planets Plato precession principle proton Ptolemaic system Ptolemy Pythagorian quasars radius ratio redshift respect revolution rotation Saturn save the phenomena scale scientists solar system space sphere spherical stellar supreme orb telescope theory tion translation Tycho Universe velocity of light Venus zodiacal