Archives of the Universe
100 Discoveries That Transformed Our Understanding of the Cosmos
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- $22.99
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- $22.99
Publisher Description
An unparalleled history of astronomy presented in the words of the scientists who made the discoveries. Here are the writings of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, Halley, Hubble, and Einstein, as well as that of dozens of others who have significantly contributed to our picture of the universe.
From Aristotle's proof that the Earth is round to the 1998 paper that posited an accelerating universe, this book contains 100 entries spanning the history of astronomy. Award-winning science writer Marcia Bartusiak provides enormously entertaining introductions, putting the material in context and explaining its place in the literature. Archives of the Universe is essential reading for professional astronomers, science history buffs, and backyard stargazers alike.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Though Bartusiak prefaces this anthology of astronomy-related documents by lamenting the fact that astronomy books often leave out "the voices of the scientists themselves," it soon becomes clear why such voices are regularly silenced. Among the many famous authors presented here--Galileo, Einstein, Kepler, Newton, Copernicus, etc.--no voice shines through as accessibly as that of Bartusiak herself. The author of Thursday's Universe and Through a Universe Darkly has sewn together this collection of historical reprints with an admirable number of original, explanatory essays that situate each document within a larger scientific history, clarifying each paper's importance and showing how each discovery set the foundation for the next. For serious astronomy enthusiasts, this book will surely become a well-loved resource. But many of the original documents are dense and dry, and casual readers will prefer to turn to one of Bartusiak's previous books to learn more about the workings of the stars and planets.
