From Eudoxus to Einstein A History of Mathematical Astronomy [Hardcover]

Describes development of theories of planetary motion, emphasizing interaction between progress in mathematics and astronomy.Since man first looked towards the heavens, a great deal of effort has been put into trying to predict and explain the motions of the sun, moon, and planets. This book describes the theories of planetary motion that have been developed through the ages, from the homocentric spheres of Eudoxus, to Einstein's general theory of relativity. It emphasises the interaction between progress in astronomy and in mathematics, showing how the two have been inextricably linked since Babylonian times.Since man first looked towards the heavens, a great deal of effort has been put into trying to predict and explain the motions of the sun, moon, and planets. This book describes the theories of planetary motion that have been developed through the ages, from the homocentric spheres of Eudoxus, to Einstein's general theory of relativity. It emphasises the interaction between progress in astronomy and in mathematics, showing how the two have been inextricably linked since Babylonian times.Since humans first looked towards the heavens, they have attempted to predict and explain the motions of the sun, moon, and planets. This book describes the theories of planetary motion that have been developed through the ages, from the homocentric spheres of Eudoxus to Einstein's general theory of relativity. It emphasizes the interaction between progress in astronomy and in mathematics, demonstrating how the two have been inextricably linked since Babylonian times.Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Spheres and circles; 3. The Ptolemaic universe; 4. Developments in geocentric astronomy; 5. The heliocentric universe; 6. Tycho Brahe, Kepler and the ellipse; 7. Galileo, the telescope and Keplerian astronomy; 8. The universal theory of gravitation; 9. Celestial mechanics; 10. The asteroids and the outer planets; 11. New methods; 12. Mercury and relativity; References; Index. In an autholS²