Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Astronomy through the centuries
- 2 Electromagnetic radiation
- 3 Coordinate systems and charts
- 4 Gravity, celestial motions, and time
- 5 Telescopes
- 6 Detectors and statistics
- 7 Multiple telescope interferometry
- 8 Point-like and extended sources
- 9 Properties and distances of celestial objects
- 10 Absorption and scattering of photons
- 11 Spectra of electromagnetic radiation
- 12 Astronomy beyond photons
- Credits, further reading, and references
- Appendix: Units, symbols, and values
- Index
1 - Astronomy through the centuries
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Astronomy through the centuries
- 2 Electromagnetic radiation
- 3 Coordinate systems and charts
- 4 Gravity, celestial motions, and time
- 5 Telescopes
- 6 Detectors and statistics
- 7 Multiple telescope interferometry
- 8 Point-like and extended sources
- 9 Properties and distances of celestial objects
- 10 Absorption and scattering of photons
- 11 Spectra of electromagnetic radiation
- 12 Astronomy beyond photons
- Credits, further reading, and references
- Appendix: Units, symbols, and values
- Index
Summary
What we learn in this chapter
Celestial measurements reaching back 3000 years or more were carried out in many cultures worldwide. Early astronomers in Greece deduced important conclusions about the nature of the earth and the solar system. Modern astronomy began in the renaissance with the observations of Tycho Brahe and Galileo and the theoretical work of Kepler and Newton. The progress of our knowledge of the sky may be traced through a series of major discoveries which often follow the development of new technologies such as the telescope, computers, and space observatories. Astronomy is now carried out across the entire electromagnetic spectrum from the radio to the gamma ray (see cover illustrations) as well as with cosmic rays, neutrinos, and gravitational waves. The mutual dependence of theory and observation has led to major advances in the understanding of a wide diversity of celestial objects such as stars, supernova remnants, galaxies, and the universe itself. Current observations reveal important phenomena that are not understood. The promise of new fundamental discoveries remains high.
Introduction
This introductory chapter provides a brief sketch of the history of astronomy with emphasis upon some pivotal ideas and discoveries. The ideas presented here are covered more systematically in subsequent chapters of this or subsequent planned volumes.
Early development of astronomy
First astronomers
The rhythmic motions of the stars, the planets, and the sun in the sky have fascinated humankind from the earliest of times. The motions were given religious significance and were useful agricultural indicators.
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- Astronomy MethodsA Physical Approach to Astronomical Observations, pp. 1 - 21Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003