(Ebook) Astronomy through the Ages: The Story of the Human Attempt to Understand the Universe (Princeton Legacy Library, 5215) by Wilson, Robert ISBN 9780691608778, 0691608776

(Ebook) Astronomy through the Ages: The Story of the Human Attempt to Understand the Universe (Princeton Legacy Library, 5215) by Wilson, Robert ISBN 9780691608778, 0691608776

In "Astronomy through the Ages," Sir Robert Wilson tells the story of how our understanding of the universe has evolved through history--how the sedate, stable star field of ancient times has been replaced by the vast, explosive universe of today. Wilson begins by tracing the astronomical studies of the ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, moves through important contributions from India, China, and the Islamic world. The development of the sun-centered model of the universe in Renaissance Europe is followed by the development of the telescope, photography, and spectroscopy. These pushed back the limits of the observable universe and brought astronomy into the twentieth century. Finally, the rapid advances in radio and space astronomy over the past fifty years that have ushered in a new "golden age" of astronomy are explored. While focusing on the human side of astronomical discovery, Wilson also provides readers with a basic understanding of difficult concepts, explaining relativity and quantum mechanics without using technical language or mathematics. Remarkable in its scope and clarity, this book provides an accessible view of historical discoveries and modern advances and shows why excitement about astronomy is even greater today than when Galileo first gazed in wonder at the rings of Saturn.