Understanding the Heavens : Thirty Centuries of Astronomical Ideas From Ancient Thinking to Modern Cosmology

"Astronomy is the oldest and most fundamental of the natural sciences. From the early beginnings of civilization, astronomers have attempted to explain not only what the Universe is and how it works, but also how it started, how it evolved to the present day, and how it will develop in the future. The author, a well-known astronomer himself, describes the evolution of astronomical ideas, briefly discussing most of the instrumental developments. Using numerous figures to elucidate the mechanisms involved, the book starts with the astronomical ideas of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian philosophers, moves on to the Greek period, and then to the golden age of astronomy, i.e. to Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton, and ends with modern theories of cosmology. Written with undergraduate students in mind, this book gives a fascinating survey of astronomical thinking."--Jacket Front Matter....Pages I-XIII Introduction and Perspectives....Pages 1-14 Before the Classical Greek Period....Pages 15-53 Classical Greek Astronomy....Pages 55-128 Ptolemy’s Astronomy Questioned....Pages 129-185 The Period of the Renaissance....Pages 187-252 Dynamics Enters Astronomy: From Galileo to Newton....Pages 253-307 From Pre-Galilean Astronomy to the Hubble Space Telescope and Beyond .......Pages 309-372 Towards Modern Cosmology....Pages 373-426 Cosmologies of Today and Tomorrow....Pages 427-548 General Conclusion....Pages 549-553 Back Matter....Pages 555-597

The author, a well-known astronomer himself, describes the evolution of astronomical ideas, touching only lightly on most of the instrumental developments. Richly illustrated, the book starts with the astronomical ideas of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian philosophers, moves on to the Greek period and then on to the golden age of astronomy, that of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton. Finally, Pecker concludes with modern theories of cosmology. Written with astronomy undergraduates in mind, this is a fascinating survey of astronomical thinking.