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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

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 Mesopotamiam 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.

(Extracted from the back cover).

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

-Foreword.

-Contents.

-Introduction and Perspectives.

-1. Before the Classical Greek Period.

-2. Classical Greek Astronomy.

-3. Ptolomy's Astronomy Questioned.

-4. The Period of the Renaissance.

-5. Dynamics Enters Astronomy: From Galileo to Newton.

-6. From Pre-Galilean Astronomy to the Hubble Space Telescope and Beyond...

-7. Towards Modern Cosmology.

-8. Cosmologies of Today and Tomorrow.

-9. General Conclusion.

-Further Reading.

-Figure Acknowledgements.

-Name Index.

-Subject Index.