A Passion for the Planets
Titel
A Passion for the Planets
Beschrijving
Astronomy is by far the most popular of the physical sciences, enticing enough
to become a major cultural preoccupation for many, and for some an enthralling
scientific activity which veritably rules their lives. What is the nature of
that seemingly unstoppable attraction? In this lively and compelling account,
William Sheehan - professional psychiatrist, noted historian of astronomy, and
incurable observer - explores the nature of that allure through the story of
man´s visual exploration of the planets.In this volume, the first of a trilogy,
Sheehan starts with observational astronomy´s profound and lasting effect on
his own life, setting the points of embarkation for the journey to come. He
travels across the historical landscape seeking the earliest origins of man´s
compulsion to observe the planets among the hunter gatherers of the upper
palaeolithic, and traces the evolving story from the planetary records of the
earliest cities, to Pharonic Egypt through to Hellenistic Greek astronomy
culminating in Ptolemy. The necessity to observe played its part in the
perceptual changes wrought by the Copernican revolution, as well as the
observational advances achieved by such extraordinary characters as Tycho with
his sharpest of eyes, and his luxurious practice of total astronomy. The two
epochal advances published in 1609, both born through planetary observation,
namely Kepler´s discovery of the true nature of the orbit of Mars and Harriot
and Galileo´s observations of the Moon, have a pivotal place in this
account.Sheehan weaves a rich tapestry of social and technological settings,
patronage and personalities, equipment and skills, cosmologies and goals,
motives and compulsions to try to explain why we have observed, and continue to
observe, the planets.The compelling text of A Passion for the Planets is
enhanced by the specially commissioned planetary artwork of Julian Baum,
himself son of a noted planetary observer and historian of planetary observers,
and Randall Rosenfeld.A Passion for the Planets will be of interest to all
amateur astronomers; active planetary observers; armchair astronomers; those
interested in the history of astronomy; the cultural history of science; and
astronomical art.
to become a major cultural preoccupation for many, and for some an enthralling
scientific activity which veritably rules their lives. What is the nature of
that seemingly unstoppable attraction? In this lively and compelling account,
William Sheehan - professional psychiatrist, noted historian of astronomy, and
incurable observer - explores the nature of that allure through the story of
man´s visual exploration of the planets.In this volume, the first of a trilogy,
Sheehan starts with observational astronomy´s profound and lasting effect on
his own life, setting the points of embarkation for the journey to come. He
travels across the historical landscape seeking the earliest origins of man´s
compulsion to observe the planets among the hunter gatherers of the upper
palaeolithic, and traces the evolving story from the planetary records of the
earliest cities, to Pharonic Egypt through to Hellenistic Greek astronomy
culminating in Ptolemy. The necessity to observe played its part in the
perceptual changes wrought by the Copernican revolution, as well as the
observational advances achieved by such extraordinary characters as Tycho with
his sharpest of eyes, and his luxurious practice of total astronomy. The two
epochal advances published in 1609, both born through planetary observation,
namely Kepler´s discovery of the true nature of the orbit of Mars and Harriot
and Galileo´s observations of the Moon, have a pivotal place in this
account.Sheehan weaves a rich tapestry of social and technological settings,
patronage and personalities, equipment and skills, cosmologies and goals,
motives and compulsions to try to explain why we have observed, and continue to
observe, the planets.The compelling text of A Passion for the Planets is
enhanced by the specially commissioned planetary artwork of Julian Baum,
himself son of a noted planetary observer and historian of planetary observers,
and Randall Rosenfeld.A Passion for the Planets will be of interest to all
amateur astronomers; active planetary observers; armchair astronomers; those
interested in the history of astronomy; the cultural history of science; and
astronomical art.
Maker
William Sheehan
Uitgever
Springer-Verlag
Datum
2010
Taal
eng
Aanduiding
PLA0635
ISBN
9781441959706
Bestanden
Collectie
Citaat
William Sheehan, “A Passion for the Planets,” Bibliotheek Cozmix, toegankelijk 22 november 2024, https://bib.cozmix.cloud/items/show/1514.