The Ballet of the Planets - A Mathematician's Musings on the Elegance of Planetary Motion

Zusatztext For anyone with a keen interest in astronomy, geometry, and the history of science, however, the book will be a must-read. Informationen zum Autor Donald C. Benson is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, Davis, and the author of A Smoother Pebble and The Moment of Proof. Klappentext The Ballet of the Planets unravels the beautiful mystery of planetary motion. The book shows how our understanding of planetary motion evolved from ancient Greece to the time of Newton. It illustrates the interaction between theory and observation, the scientific method, a process still central to the science of today. Zusammenfassung The Ballet of the Planets unravels the beautiful mystery of planetary motion. The book shows how our understanding of planetary motion evolved from ancient Greece to the time of Newton. It illustrates the interaction between theory and observation, the scientific method, a process still central to the science of today. Inhaltsverzeichnis Acknowledgements Introduction 1 The Survival of the Valid I. Birth 2 The Bowl of Night 3 Epicycles and Relative Motion 4 The Deferent-Epicycle Model 5 Making Money, Et Cetera II Rebirth 6 The Reluctant Revolutionary 7 Circles No More 8 The War with Mars III Enlightenment 9 The Birth of Mechanics 10 The Astronomical Alchemist A. The Greek Alphabet B. Vectors Notes References Index

Product details

• Authors: Donald Benson, Donald (Emeritus Professor Benson, Donald C Benson, Donald C. Benson
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 16.05.2012
• EAN: 9780199891009
• ISBN: 978-0-19-989100-9
• No. of pages: 240
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Physics, astronomy > Astronomy; SCIENCE / History, SCIENCE / Physics / Astrophysics, MATHEMATICS / Recreations & Games, NATURE / Sky Observation, History of Science, Popular astronomy & space, Popular astronomy and space, Theoretical & mathematical astronomy, Popular and recreational mathematics, Popular mathematics, Theoretical and mathematical astronomy