The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy

Overview

• Author: Michael Hoskin
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Published Date: 1999-03-18
• Page Count: 384
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Status: Available

Three-Sentence Summary

• The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy provides a comprehensive overview of the development of astronomy from ancient times to modern-day.
• It highlights the key discoveries, the scientists behind them, and their significant impact on our understanding of the universe.
• The book also emphasizes how cultural and historical contexts have influenced and shaped astronomical studies.

Extended Summary

The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy is a comprehensive and accessible guide to the history of astronomy. Starting from ancient interpretations of celestial objects and phenomena, it details how different civilizations contributed to our understanding of space. The book covers various cultural contexts, including ancient Greek, Chinese, Islamic, and Western European perspectives.

The narrative progresses chronologically through major periods in history such as Renaissance, Enlightenment, Industrial Age till modern times. It highlights significant milestones like Copernicus's heliocentric model, Galileo's use of telescope for astronomical observations, Kepler's laws of planetary motion, Newton's law of gravity and more recently Hubble's discovery expanding universe.

The later part focuses on developments in the 20th century such as space exploration missions NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Voyager missions. It concludes with current research efforts like detection gravitational waves or search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

Throughout the book Hoskin emphasizes importance interdisciplinary approach in study astronomy. He explores how mathematics, physics or even philosophy have influenced astronomical theories.

Key Points

1. Astronomy has evolved significantly throughout history, with groundbreaking discoveries shaping our understanding of the universe.
2. Cultural and historical contexts play an important role in astronomical studies.
3. A multidisciplinary approach, incorporating mathematics, physics, and philosophy, is essential in the field of astronomy.

Who Should Read

The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy is ideal for anyone interested in astronomy or the history of science. It's a great resource for students studying astronomy or those wanting to understand how our understanding of space has evolved over time.

About the Author

Michael Hoskin is an esteemed historian of science specializing in the history of astronomy. He founded the Journal for the History of Astronomy and has authored several books on the subject. His research focuses on prehistoric archaeoastronomy and 18th-century astronomical research.

Further Reading

• [Other works by Michael Hoskin]
• [Related books: The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy by James Evans]

Readwise Highlights

• Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, and one which has repeatedly led to fundamental changes in our view of the world. This book covers the history of our study of the cosmos from prehistory to a survey of modern astronomy and astrophysics. It does not attempt to cover everything, but deliberately concentrates on the important themes and topics, including stellar astronomy in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries--the source of many important concepts in modern astronomy--and the Copernican revolution, which led to the challenge of ancient authorities in many areas other than astronomy. This is an essential text for students of the history of science and for students of astronomy who require a historical background to their studies.