25 replies to this topic

[The Meal]

I'm a primarily non-fiction reader and of late have spent some time brushing up on astronomy topics. I've been working my way through the ample shelves at the local public library. Cosmos (Sagan) has sort of killed my need to read any more cosmology for a while, but rekindled my desire to "bore in" regarding history of observations and theoretical leaps. Deciding I needed to start somewhere, I zeroed in on Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler reading two "traditional" texts on those scientists and finishing off (yesterday) with Heavenly Intrigue (by Gilder and Gilder, 2004) which purports that Kepler murdered Tycho. I'd link to the book, but personally I don't recommend it as I feel the authors did some serious *reaching* to come up with a conclusion that would seem to be inspired by a claim which would sell lots of books. On the other hand I thought it connected *some* of the dots between historical happenings in that era rather well.

So, I've just begun scratching an itch and as would seem predictable, I've found it's getting even itchier! CN bookhounds, save me! I wouldn't mind eventually going back into the classical era and reading up on Cladius Ptolemy and the goings on of Alexandria, and even some of the earlier happenings with the Chinese, but I want to push that stuff off for now. I'd prefer to limit my recommends from say Nicholas Copernicus and later. I'm not afraid of a little physics or technicality in my texts, but I can read stuff for the layman just fine (Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything is a book I have *no problem* linking to, for example).

Academically I tend to live by the proverb "Beware the man of one book" (something I learned from the professor who taught me my History of Mathematics course as an undergrad -- prompting him, of course, to spring on us students a reading list that'd break my 31-year old back today) as I'd like to avoid repeating other people's opinons as facts and would rather tend to form my own biases. So don't be afraid to tell me your favorite five books on Galileo or Sir Isaac.

I'd prefer to work my way through things chronologically (meaning I'm inclined to see what the local library has on Copernicus before moving forward), but I won't limit myself if something in particular strikes my fancy. For instance I've a *HUGE* Feynman hole in my list of authors read, and intend to sneak a few of his texts into my list when I've found myself mired in the land of the dry, if you catch what I'm saying (also indicating that maybe I'm not *completely* done with cosmology/physics in the short term).

I *know* CNers have their favorite authors, books, and most certainly strong opinions. I'm on my knees begging you to enlighten this grasshopper and share with me the texts that I shouldn't live without reading.

Thanks in advance!

[Fiske]

I recommend the Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy as one of the best general books on the subject.

http://www.amazon.co...=glance&s=books

Unfortunately, it is out of print and extremely hard to find on the used market. You should be able to get it through inter-library loan, however, if you're library doesn't have a copy.

[The Meal]

Thanks Fiske! Care to lay on me about 50 other recommends? I was really hoping you'd be one of the folks to chirp up.

[LivingNDixie]

Comming of Age inn the Milky Way by Tim Ferris is pretty good too

[Tom L]

That was going to be my recommendation also. I still need to finish it though...and then read all the other books I have by Ferris just sitting there, waiting for me to read them.

[half meter]

"The History of the Telescope" by Henry King ©1955 ISBN 0-486-23893-8

I really liked this book. I started browsing through it and couldn't stop reading it. What a great overview. King starts with water clocks in 1400 BC, then covers the contributions of the Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, and Muslims. This early history does not take King long to cover.

King spends most of the book presenting the fascinating stories of principals like Galileo and Newton, among others, and their equipment. The history of the discovery of crown and flint glass is quite interesting, and reads like a mystery novel, as does the shenanigans in which Fraunhofer finds himself immersed.

Intertwined with the description of telescopic gear are the personal histories of Dolland, Ramsden, Herschel, Messier, Halley, Foucault, Huygens, Fraunhofer, Merz, Gregory, Cassigrain, Maksutov, Lick, Schmidt, Hale, and Ritchey, etc.. Their telescope designs and observations are also covered. He ties all of this together in a highly readable, authoritative story.

This book is not a rigorous discussion of telescope design. It's a well-told story about the history of the telescope and the folks who made that history.

[The Meal]

Wow, this is some great stuff! Now I just need to invent the 30 hour day (with the extra six hours happening when the skies are either cloudy or with the sun up!) and I'll be all set. Thanks a bunch everyone. I've been focusing on books focusing on a particular man (or team) of science, but some of these general books seem *right* up my alley!

[desertstars]

I've been meaning to check out King's book. Is that the one published by Dover?

[half meter]

I've been meaning to check out King's book. Is that the one published by Dover?

I have the Dover 1955 edition. It seems there is a 1979 edition as well.

[Fiske]

Here are a few more recommendations.

I like Kitty Ferguson's Measuring the Universe, available in cloth or trade paperback.

A Pannekoek's A History of Astronomy (Dover) has an excellent reputation. I have a copy, but haven't read it yet.

John Henry's Moving Heaven and Earth is about the best thing I've read on Copernicus. It's solely about Copernicus, but does include some information about his impact on the development of astronomy. Anyway, it's excellent.

I also like Richard Panek's Seeing and Believing: How the Telescope Opened Our Eyes and Minds to the Heavens. It's another small gem.

Incidentally, the Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy is readily available -- it's a condensed version of the Illustrated history and worth having in lieu of the longer treatment. I've seen copies at Half-Price books over the past year.

[Larry F]

I've always felt that anyone interested in the history of astronomy should read Arthur Koestler's "The Sleepwalkers", first published in 1959 but still in print. It's on the big themes: Greeks, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Newton. It would be worth reading it to get the overview and the benefit of Koestler's erudition and writing skill. This book is a real classic. It's not the kind of conspiracy-theory book that the Gilders wrote). A true intellectual history and a very exciting read.

Another great book, although sketching a much larger canvas, is Daniel Boorstin's "The Discoverers", which looks at the history of science (although astronomy is an important part) and technology in a larger framework.

[The Meal]

Continuing thanks to everyone who's helping me out. Hopefully I'll be back to the library this weekend (avec list!) to mine the free treasures there before moving over to the various options that involve me shelling out. There are at least five books mentioned thusfar that sound *perfect* for what I'm after. Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to help me out.

[Bandoblue]

Since you are starting with the Copernican Revolution, don't miss Owen Gingerich's "The Book Nobody Read: Chasing the Revolutions of Nicolaus Copernicus." History of science that reads like a detective novel.

Of the Ferris books, the classic is "Coming of Age in the Milky Way", but right now you might want to start with "Seeing in the Dark". It'll introduce you to some of the greats in contemporary amateur astronomy and keep your enthusiasm white-hot. I just saw it in the discount pile at B&N if your library doe snot have it.

Richard Preston's "First Light" has just been reissued and is an excellent look at astronomers at work, as scientists and as human beings, as well as a love letter to the Palomar Big Eye.

And of course, do anything you have to do (well, anything within law and ethics) to get a copy of Peltier's "Starlight Nights." This is the one book every amateur should read. See the Cloudy Nights review for more well-deserved praise (note--this book includes some phrases and outlooks which represent the mores of another day. They are part of its authenticity, but can ring a little off to the contemporary ear. OK, full disclosure over, now go read it).

Of course, it never hurts to read Galileo in his own words: the "Starry Messenger" is one quick night's read; it used to be available with other writings in a book titled "Discoveries and Opionions of Galileo" compiled and translated by the towering Galileo scholar Stillman Drake.

[Ken]

Check my reference here for another fine addition to this list.
http://www.cloudynig...5/o/all/fpart/1

[AZDeepSky]

Neal,
I just caught up with this thread, which immediately cost me $27.96 — had to have the “Concise Catalogue” (via Amazon).

So my post is a bit late. But I can’t pass the chance to add my two cents worth. In addition to my love of astronomy, I love books.

First, previous posters have made some excellent recommendations. Many of my favorites on the list. So I will not repeat those.

Second, I haven’t had time to track the article down, but a back issue within two years of either S&T or Astronomy has a nice piece on what the author considers the essential books for the serious astronomy library. Some of those will be outside your interest in the category of “astronomy history” — or should we categorize your interest as the “history of astronomy”? But many will hit your interest “point dead center.”

I have several recommendations for you under the category “history of astronomy” — a category I intend to stretch a bit.

First, should you read books like Edwin Hubble, The Realm of the Nebulae (1936) and Sir James Jeans, The Mysterious Universe (1937)? My answer is, “How could you not?” Without belaboring you with hermeneutics, the reasons are three:
a. If you want to understand the last 100 years of astronomy/astrophysics/cosmology then you must have a base line. Hubble and Jeans are fundamental points in that line (which is not necessarily a straight line)!
b. Given the explosion of knowledge over the last ten to fifteen years, the base line brings the reader of contemporary materials into the drama/continuing dialogue that marks the step by step advance of knowledge of the cosmos. Conversation is the locus of knowledge; question and answer the diastole and systole of inquiry; brilliant thinkers like Jeans and Hubble come to quizzical consciousness (“what, why, how....”) within the continuing conversation: history books begin and end: the conversation does not. It’s amazing how much they got right. And what they did not know. But what they did not know drove inquiry on.
C. Given your stated interest in reading Copernicus (etc.), then considering a list of the pivotal figures is key. And who were the pivotal figures of the first half of the twentieth century?

Second, no reading list of “classics” would be complete without Galileo’s Starry Messenger. Period. I cannot read this book and not imaginatively smell the burning flesh of Bruno — martyred by the Church in the Square of Rome in 1600 for his Copernican heresy. Galileo likely had this in mind as well. (Off topic: a fantastic play on this topic is Bertolt Brecht’s Galileo. Highly recommended by moi. I saw it staged in Dallas, TX many, many years ago.)

Third, the most succinct, visually interesting, and scientifically informed yet readerly book of many of the key moments in astronomy is, believe it or not, the companion book to a PBS series: David Filkin, Stephen Hawking’s Universe: The Cosmos Explained. For example, Chapter 3, Seeing the Light, tells us the story of why the Fraunhofer lines are the Fraunhofer lines.

Fourth, understanding the history of star mapping is a huge part of the history of astronomy. Hipparchus catalogue of some 850 stars was likely the first (and most think his work formed the basis for Ptoleymy’s Almagest). My favorite book on the topic is Peter Whitfield, The Mapping of the Heavens. Off topic: I am a small scale collector of star Atlases (within limits of the pocket book: be careful, this is a serious disease). My favorite is Antonin Becvar, Atlas of the Heavens: Atlas Coeli 1950.0. Originally published in Czechoslovakia in 1962 — during the Cold War — and reprinted in 1979 by Sky Publishing. Not particularly rare, but to me a work of art and love. I never go out for a night of star watching without first visiting this Atlas.

Fifth, the observations of amateurs have an interesting history. Likely the most famous observer of all time is Messier. Or is it Herschel? Never mind! Messier’s notebooks are readily found in print (and likely on the web). In addition to Messier, I would recommend that you read Rev. Webb’s Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes, originally published in 1859 (vol. 2). And Burnham’s Celestial Handbook (3 volumes) is a veritable gold mine of historical lore. I love Burnham, possessing a dog-eared set of paper backs and one pristine set of hard backs. Much local vernacular knowledge of Burnham — who worked at Lowell — here in Flagstaff.

Sixth, I would agree with those who earlier suggested you push ahead in reading more of Ferris. In conjunction with Ferris I would suggest three additional texts relevant to your quest.
(i) Amir Aczel’s God’s Equation: Einstein, Relativity, and the Expanding Universe is hard core but absolutely compelling reading. “Chapter 9, Principe Island, 1919,” for example, is an incredibly interesting account of how a solar eclipse offered the first chance for empirical corroboration of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. This particular eclipse would have the sun, moon, and the Hyades in alignment so that a definitive test would be achieved. “For the hundredth time, Eddington went over the possible outcomes of the experiment.... 1. Nothing would be found — no change in the apparent positions of the stars during the eclipse. This would mean that light does not bend. 2. There would be a shift in the position of the stars — a bending of light — but in the amount predicted by Newton’s theory, applied to light as if it were a particle. 3. There would be the full bending of the light of the stars to the degree predicted by Einstein.” (p. 132)
(ii) Leon Lederman, The God Particle: If the Universe is the Answer, What is the Question? Lederman is a Nobel prize winning particle physicist who, among other things in this funny and entertaining book (mucho history here), “explains why particle physics and astrophysics have in recent times been fused to a new level of intimacy....” (p. 384)
(iii) Stephen Hawking, The Universe in a Nutshell. A stunning visual and conceptual tour of cutting edge astro-cosmo-knowledge (according to Hawkings) with plenty of historical background.

Seventh, and finally, Isaac Asimov, Asimov on Astronomy. A gold mine of chapters on stuff you can’t believe! Ever wonder why the night sky is parceled out in degrees, seconds, and minutes? Isaac has the answer.

So, Neal, there you have my two cents (3 cents?) worth. How I love these books. Hope you love them to.

[Victor Kennedy]

Just a footnote: you can buy Brecht's play "Galileo" on amazon.com. I bought a copy about 2 months ago.

[The Meal]

Have been wanting to get back to this thread, as I'm always curious as to how folks have used my given advice... I rounded up a list of the books offered up in this thread and I've been off to the races...

I recommend the Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy as one of the best general books on the subject.

This is one of the first books I was able to track down at the local library, and it was extensive and very informative. History books aren't generally the type of thing that I'd want to keep on my own shelf for reference. This tome would be an exception.

Comming of Age inn the Milky Way by Tim Ferris is pretty good too

This is on my shelf (again, from the local library) awaiting some free time.

I like Kitty Ferguson's Measuring the Universe, available in cloth or trade paperback.

Mamacita, this was great. I love the way she writes, and especially loved her book on Kepler and Tycho (which I had read before I formed this thread, but hadn't managed to remember the author's name). I will actively search out the other books that Mrs. Ferguson has written if for no other reason than I like her style. The more in-depth the subject, the better.

I also like Richard Panek's Seeing and Believing: How the Telescope Opened Our Eyes and Minds to the Heavens. It's another small gem.

This is the most recent of the books on the subject that I've read (again, from the library) and I would recommend this to anyone who already has done in-depth reading on this topic. Mr. Panek has a great style and manages to spark interest. After reading his sections on Hale, I know that when I do an in-depth survey around the turn of the 20th century, he's one of those guys I'd like to focus on. Very highly recommended.

Since you are starting with the Copernican Revolution, don't miss Owen Gingerich's "The Book Nobody Read: Chasing the Revolutions of Nicolaus Copernicus." History of science that reads like a detective novel.

Another excellent suggestion. And while Mr. Gingerich has a style that makes you feel as if you're a conspirator in some elitist Harvard conspiracy, I rather enjoyed that feeling. I'll search out some of his other works (he seems very highly respected in the field and very prolific).

Of the Ferris books, the classic is "Coming of Age in the Milky Way", but right now you might want to start with "Seeing in the Dark". It'll introduce you to some of the greats in contemporary amateur astronomy and keep your enthusiasm white-hot. I just saw it in the discount pile at B&N if your library doe snot have it.

"Seeing..." wasn't available in the local library, but if I enjoy "Coming..." I'll make it a point to hunt down.

Of course, it never hurts to read Galileo in his own words: the "Starry Messenger" is one quick night's read; it used to be available with other writings in a book titled "Discoveries and Opionions of Galileo" compiled and translated by the towering Galileo scholar Stillman Drake.

I do have Galileo's translated version of Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (with the forward by Einstein) on my nightstand (again, from the library), but I'll go out of my way to track down Starry Messenger (as will I investigate the inner workings of the Inter-Library Loan service the next time I return books so that I may track down a higher-percentage of the recommends here).

I was fortunate enough to receive Burnham's Celestial Handbook Volume 1 (the Dover edition from 1978) for Christmas this year. I waxed poetically on the first couple of chapters here. Talk about a love-letter written by an enthusiastic master... I know it's not purely historic in nature, but it's impossible to not read this book (based on my brief perusal of both Mira and Delta Cephei {fortunately our favorite landmark variable star types fall within the first 21 constellations, alphebetically!} in addition to the introductary chapters) and not get fired up. I also received a nice reference guide: Philip's Atlas of the Universe (by the ubiquitous Pathrick Moore") for Christmas, and look forward to having it for reference.

Thanks again, CNers!

~Neal

[The Meal]

Oh, and AZDeepSky thanks for the in-depth post! I'll be sure to add your list of books to the list I've had in my back pocket each time I head to the library. A few of those books concerning 20th century work (Aczel, Lederman) are definitely sitting on the shelves here at the local library. As I started out my collegiate career (fourteen years ago!) as a physics major, that sort of physics for the layman explanation of various phenomena is very interesting to me. I don't care to revisit Rees's Just Six Numbers again any time soon (I sort of burned myself out on Cosmology in recent months -- and everything after Sagan's Pale Blue Dot was going to suffer in comparison anyway), but I'll give those a shot when I'm back in that mindset.

Thanks again for the in-depth recommends!

[lighttrap]

I've had the hard cover version of The Norton History of Astronomy and Cosmology for a number of years and have enjoyed it immensely. I HIGHLY recommend this, particularly now that it's been reprinted in paperback for a very reasonable price. If you want a book that does a credible representation of everything from Prehistoric Astronomy, to Ancient Egyptian, Mesopotanian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, & Arabian astronomy right up through modern astrophysics, this is the book to get, IMO. The hardbound version has over 650 jam packed pages not including the index.

Another that I like is Nancy Hathaway's Friendly Guide to the Universe It's really easy to read and is suitable for those maybe of junior high school age and above. But, adults shouldn't be turned off by that. It contains a lot of info. It's in a "brief blurb about a lot of topics" format. It goes through the "Who's who of astronomy history, giving anywhere from a few paragraphs to a few pages to each entry. Beyond that it has chapters on the Solar System and the Milky Way and the Stars and Constellations. All in all it packs a lot of information into roughly 450 paperbound pages.

These two actually work well together. The Hathaway book is good as a primer, and interest piquer. The Norton is a reference that integrates the history of the planet through astronomical endeavors.

[Mike Casey]

For instance I've a *HUGE* Feynman hole in my list of authors read, and intend to sneak a few of his texts into my list when I've found myself mired in the land of the dry, if you catch what I'm saying (also indicating that maybe I'm not *completely* done with cosmology/physics in the short term).

I recommend Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman by James Gleick. A fascinating biography of the life and works of a man who dared to follow “the beat of a different drum”. Besides being a Nobel Prize winner, safe cracker, Zen artist, inventor of QED, bongo drum player, architect of quantum theories and “enfant terrible” of the atomic bomb project, Feynman was also a true and great renaissance man.

For all the Feynman aficionados out there, here is a link to a great Feynman story:

http://www.biols.sus...bin/feynman.htm

[John Jarosz]

I've been reading: "Archives of the Universe - A Treasury of Astronomy's Historic Works of Discovery" edited by Marcia Bartusiak
c2004 ISBN 0-375-42170-X Pantheon and Random House

It's a collection of historical astonomical events and times from antiquity to the present. The editor sets the backgound for the reader and then segments (or sometimes the entire contents) of a paper or book published by the astronmer whose work is discussed is printed as well. It has the common stuff; Starry Messenger and the like, as well as some fairy hard to obtain papers. Very interesting. The cool thing is that it's all here in one volume.

[StewM]

Can i recomend a website for purchasing books?

http://www.abebooks.com

using a keyword search this site has links to over 100,000 astronomy books, ranging from $1 to well over $100,000 they even have a copy of Epytoma...in Almagestum Ptolomei.
REGIOMONTANUS, Johannes. from 1496!

"The importance of this book lies in the fact that it enshrines, within the editor's commentary, the first appearance in print, in a Latin translation from the Greek, of the monumental compendium of Claudius Ptolemaeus of Alexandria known as the Almagest..The Almagest is an encyclopaedia of astronomical knowledge..which established astronomy as a mathematical discipline."

Now that's a history book

[desertstars]

Alibris is another such source, and one I've found reliable. Alibris

[arczeneb]

Star Names their Lore and Meaning by Richard Hinckley Allen
ISBN 0-486-21079-0 $9.95
His research into astronomical writings and observations of the Chinese, Arabic, Euphrates, Hellenic and Roman civilizations including folklore and history associated with the heavenly bodies. Starts with the constellation history and moves into the stars and all this on 563 pages. Also the book touches on long ago dropped out constellations and some asterisms are included.
Here is how he opens up the Virgo constellation.
Virgo, the Angelo Saxon Maeden,the Anglo-Norman Pulcele,the French Viegre etc. and for the folklore; she was known in the Attic dialect as Kopn, the Maiden representing Persephone, the Roman Proserpina, daughter of Demeter etc.
The only tough read was the words on the above languages until I make it to the English portion. All in all this is a non technical book on the the lore and history.
enjoy