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Finding our Place in the Solar System: The Scientific Story of the Copernican Revolution
Finding our Place in the Solar System gives a detailed account of how the Earth was displaced from its traditional position at the center of the universe to be recognized as one of several planets orbiting the Sun under the influence of a universal gravitational force. The transition from the ancient geocentric worldview to a modern understanding of planetary motion, often called the Copernican Revolution, is one of the great intellectual achievements of humankind. This book provides a deep yet accessible explanation of the scientific disputes over our place in the solar system and the work of the great scientists who helped settle them. Readers will come away knowing not just that the Earth orbits the Sun, but why we believe that it does so. The Copernican Revolution also provides an excellent case study of what science is and how it works.
392 pages, Hardcover
Published March 28, 2019
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January 27, 2021
Excellent from beginning to end, Finding Our Place in the Solar System offers a perfect introduction for anyone who wishes to learn the history of European astronomy and the fundamental concepts behind the modern scientific understanding of our solar system. With a writing style and structure that is intended for beginning students, the material is presented as a chronological narrative that traces from antiquity the development of astronomical insights and discoveries.
Chapters are written in plain language that is accessible to a general audience, while the mathematics related to various areas of discussion are separated into well-organized appendices for those readers who desire greater detail. Numerous illustrations, historical images, and charts accompany and enhance the explanations given in the text for phenomena including parallax, retrograde planetary motion, and the aberration of starlight. Illuminating descriptions are also furnished regarding notable historical personalities such as Galileo and Newton, along with the practical elements of many of their scientific experiments.
Readers interested in astronomy or the history of science are likely to derive much enjoyment and edification from this book.
Chapters are written in plain language that is accessible to a general audience, while the mathematics related to various areas of discussion are separated into well-organized appendices for those readers who desire greater detail. Numerous illustrations, historical images, and charts accompany and enhance the explanations given in the text for phenomena including parallax, retrograde planetary motion, and the aberration of starlight. Illuminating descriptions are also furnished regarding notable historical personalities such as Galileo and Newton, along with the practical elements of many of their scientific experiments.
Readers interested in astronomy or the history of science are likely to derive much enjoyment and edification from this book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review