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This book is a superposition of two distinct narratives: the first is historical, discussing the evolution of astronomical knowledge since the dawn of civilizations; the second is scientific, conveying mathematical and physical content of each advancement. Great scientists of antiquity, Middle Ages and modern times until the 18th century, are presented along with their discoveries, through short biographies and anecdotes. Special care is taken to explain their achievements using mathematical and physical concepts of their time, with modern perspective added only when ancient methodology is too cumbersome or its language hardly understandable to contemporary readers.
The book conveys a lot of astronomical facts and data in a pleasant and accessible manner. Almost all findings and discoveries made in ancient times are followed by simple mathematical exercises using basic knowledge, so that the reader can check the assertions himself. The book contains a lot of inedited illustrations. Geometrical schemes are given extra attention to make the examples clear and understandable. The language is simple and accessible to the young audience.
Sample Chapter(s)
Preface
Chapter 1: How we see the world
Contents:
- Acknowledgements
- Preface
- Prologue
- How We See the World
- The Visible Sky
- The Eclipses
- Ancient Astronomers and Mathematicians
- Observers and Observatories
- Measuring Time
- Measuring Space
- The Copernican Revolution
- Tycho Brahe, the Prince of Astronomers
- Galileo and the New Physics
- Kepler and the New Astronomy
- Newton and Universal Gravity
- The Tides
- Huygens and Cassini
- Halley and the Transit of Venus
- Cavendish and the Earth's Mass
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index
Readership: Science enthusiasts, students, college teachers and professors.
