
How do we know that the earth travels around the sun, the universe is billions of years old, and stars are trillions of miles away? Rocky Kolb tells the fascinating story of the people and ideas that have brought us such knowledge of our planet and the universe, giving realistic portraits of astronomers like Tycho, Kepler, Galileo, Herschel and Hubble. Beginning in 1572 with Tycho's discovery that the heavens can change and ending with the Big Bang of the 20th Century, this is a hugely entertaining and witty account of the quest to discover the universe.
This book investigates the historical progression of human understanding regarding the structure and origins of the universe through the contributions of key astronomical figures. Rocky Kolb, a prominent cosmologist, utilizes a biographical framework to trace the evolution of celestial mechanics and cosmology. By examining the lives and intellectual breakthroughs of astronomers from the 16th century to the modern era, the author illustrates how empirical observation and theoretical shifts fundamentally altered the human perspective on our place in the cosmos.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts and readers alike praise the text for its accessible prose and ability to humanize complex scientific figures. The book is frequently cited as a highly readable entry point for those interested in the history of cosmology and the development of the scientific method.
Page Count:
352
Publication Date:
1999-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford Paperbacks.
ISBN-10:
0192862030
ISBN-13:
9780192862037
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