Celestial Treasury: From the Music of the Spheres to the Conquest of Space

Lachièze-Rey, Marc; Luminet, Jean-Pierre

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0521800404 ISBN 13: 9780521800402

Casa editrice: Cambridge University Press, 2001

Throughout history, the mysterious dark skies above us have inspired our imaginations in countless ways, influencing our endeavours in science and philosophy, religion, literature and art. Celestial Treasury is a truly beautiful book showing the richness of astronomical theories and illustrations in Western civilization through the ages, exploring their evolution, and comparing ancient and modern throughout. From Greek verse, mediaeval manuscripts and Victorian poetry to spacecraft photographs and computer-generated star charts, the unprecedented wealth of these portrayals is quite breathtaking. How did philosophers and scientists try to explain the order which seems to govern celestial motion? How did geometers and artists measure and map the skies? How many different answers have been proposed for the most fundamental of all questions: When and how did our world come about? Who inhabits the Heavens - gods, angels or extraterrestrials? The answers to these questions can be found among these stunning pages.

Recensione:

'Impressive in size and sumptuous in production ... a stunning array of historical and modern imagery ... A book that anybody with the slightest interest in the subject would be delighted to find waiting after the annual visit of the red-coated gentleman with the suborbital reindeer!' P. D. Highley, Astronomy & Geophysics

'... a fascinating combination of ancient star maps and illustrations, mixed with modern photographs and computer-generated images of the cosmos.' Astronomy Now

'The artwork for this book is truly beautiful and the accompanying text is literature and thought provoking ... an outstanding record of what was probably a remarkable exhibition.' Martin Barstow, The Observatory

Descrizione del libro:

Celestial Treasury is a truly beautiful book showing the richness of astronomical theories and illustrations through the ages, drawing comparisons between ancient and modern throughout. From Greek verse, mediaeval manuscripts and Victorian poetry to spacecraft photographs and computer-generated star charts, the wealth of these portrayals is quite breathtaking.