Selections from Kepler's Astronomia Nova (Science Classics Module for Humanities Studies) by Johannes Kepler

by Johannes Kepler

Johannes Kepler wrote Astronomia Nova (1609) in a single minded drive to sweep away the ancient and medieval clutter of spheres and orbs and to establish a new truth in astronomy, based on physical causality. This title includes Kepler's introduction as well as a selection of chapters that develop the physics of planetary motion.

Genres: Science, Physics, Astronomy, Philosophy, Mathematics

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1609

About the author

Johannes Kepler (German pronunciation: [ˈkɛplɐ]) was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, and key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution. He is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican Astronomy. These works also provided one of the foundations for Isaac Newton's theory of universal gravitation.

During his career, Kepler was a mathematics teacher at a seminary school in Graz, Austria, where he became an associate of Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg. Later he became an assistant to astronomer Tycho Brahe, the imperial mathematician to Emperor Rudolf II and his two successors Matthias and Ferdinand II. He was also a mathematics teacher in Linz, Austria, and an adviser to General Wallenstein. Additionally, he did fundamental work in the field of optics, invented an improved version of the refracting telescope (the Keplerian Telescope), and mentioned the telescopic discoveries of his contemporary Galileo Galilei.

Kepler lived in an era when there was no clear distinction between astronomy and astrology, but there was a strong division between astronomy (a branch of mathematics within the liberal arts) and physics (a branch of natural philosophy).

Reviews

[Grace RS · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not going to act like I understood everything in this selection; nevertheless, I enjoyed the challenge. Informed by Copernicus, Ptolemy, and Tycho Brahe, he was able to contribute his three laws. Kepler started by explaining the astronomical theories of his day (that the planet's orbits are circular, simply because the circle is an ideal shape and the celestial sky was thought to be perfect; that since the moon revolves around the earth, so must the sun [Copernicus initiated the heliocentric theory, but it was not widely accepted yet]) and demonstrating their insufficiencies. He was willing to question the preconceived assumptions, not trying to force the data to fit the ideal, for ultimately, he was concerned with finding the truth. He logically reveals how the orbits must be elliptical due to the planetary inequalities (how their speed and direction changes farther away it is from the sun), and how the sun must be at the center of the world, stationary and functioning somewhat as a magnet, but *not* at the center of the ellipse.

I love his feistiness and pugnacity toward those who would dismiss his argument as anti-Scriptural: he argues that they are reading the Bible too literal, treating the Bible as a textbook, when the writers were not stressing scientific facts but rather speaking in the people's idiom. He provides advice for these "idiots," telling them to stay out of science. He argues that his chief desire is to "praise and celebrate the Creator's wisdom and greatness" which he hopes to achieve through his "explanation of the world's form."

[Allie Osborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible compilation of a masterpiece. Kepler is accessible, winsome and thorough. Thanks to this text, I’m becoming *radicalized* for the study of astronomy via the narrative, historical story.

[Brody Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cool to see the elliptical motion in action. Still wondering how the power comes from the sun, but the motion doesn’t evenly rotate around it. I’ve heard this will be answered in Newton.

[Jackson Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fan of astronomy. Love the metaphors he uses for the heavens. If this book didn’t have any math in it it would be epic.

[Pauisreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me encanto la narración. Este libro lo leí para entender más algunas teorías de Kepler pues, es algo que veo actualmente en el colegio, y la narración me parecio ser la mejor, desde que la edición tiene pie de página y glosario; me ganó. Entendi perfectamente cada tema y es un libro que sin duda, esta pensando para aprender de manera rápida y sencilla. Kepler se volvio inigualable después de este libro.