David Leverington

Babylon to Voyager and Beyond

• Gebundenes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Babylon to Voyager and Beyond covers planetary research from the time of the Babylonians and Ancient Greeks through those of Kepler, Galileo and Newton to the modern era of space exploration. It outlines the key observational discoveries and theoretical developments in their historical context, covering not only the numerous successes but also the main failures. Planetary astronomy has come a long way since the Babylonians used their extensive numerical skills to predict the positions of the moon and planets. That progress is the story of this book, ending, as it does, with the considerable discoveries of the space age, and the discoveries of planets around other stars. This unique account will appeal to both amateur and professional astronomers, as well as those with an interest in the history of science.

Table of contents:
Introduction; 1. The ancients; 2. Copernicus and the new cosmology; 3. Kepler and Galileo: the fall of epicycles and the start of telescopic astronomy; 4. The mid and late seventeenth century; 5. Consolidation; 6. The solar system expands; 7. The inner solar system in the nineteenth century; 8. The outer solar system in the nineteenth century; 9. Quiet interlude - the twentieth century prior to the space age; 10. The space age - terrestrial planets; 11. The space age - the outer planets.

Babylon to Voyager and Beyond covers planetary research from the time of the Babylonians and Ancient Greeks through those of Kepler, Galileo and Newton, to the modern era of space exploration. This book outlines major theories and ideas in the development of astronomy, including not only the successes, but also the key failures.

The story of planetary research from ancient astronomers to current spacecraft missions.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Cambridge University Press
• Seitenzahl: 570
• Erscheinungstermin: 8. Februar 2016
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 250mm x 175mm x 35mm
• Gewicht: 1152g
• ISBN-13: 9780521808408
• ISBN-10: 0521808405
• Artikelnr.: 21763613

Autorenporträt

David Leverington held a variety of senior positions in the space industry, and is now retired.

Inhaltsangabe

Preface
Introduction
1. The ancients
2. Copernicus and the new cosmology
3. Kepler and Galileo - the fall of epicycles and the start of telescopic astronomy
4. The mid and late seventeenth century
5. Consolidation
6. The solar system expands
7. The inner solar system in the nineteenth century
8. The outer solar system in the nineteenth century
9. Quiet interlude - the twentieth century prior to the space age
10. The space age - terrestrial planets
11. The space age - the outer planets
Glossary
Bibliography
Units
Name index
Subject index.