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An attempt has been made in these pages to trace the evolution of intellectual thought in the progress of astronomical discovery, and, by recognising the different points of view of the different ages, to give due credit even to the ancients. No one can expect, in a history of astronomy of limited size, to find a treatise on "practical" or on "theoretical astronomy," nor a complete "descriptive astronomy," and still less a book on "speculative astronomy." Something of each of these is essential, however, for tracing the progress of thought and knowledge which it is the object of this History to describe.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book of early astronomy
This starts with the ancient Chinese, then goes through the Chaldeans, Greeks, and Arabs, then Copernicus and others of the Renaissance, and lastly the 18th and 19th centuries. There are chapters about the telescope and other instruments, the sun, moon, planets and the stars.

The author does a good job of showing how astronomers used the findings of earlier astronomers to increase their own knowledge of the subject. It's amazing to read how much was known about astronomy in the past, and how accurate their findings were. It's also funny to read things which were thought to be true at the time when the book was written. Several people reported having seen a planet inside Mercury's orbit. One man thought Mars had artificially made canals with vegetation growing on their banks. There are lots more. Maybe in 100 years astronomers will be laughing at us for thinking that dark matter and dark energy exist.

The table of contents is active, which is unusual for these free books. There are footnotes and an index at the end.

This is a great book loaded with historical information. I recommend that you have at least a basic knowledge of astronomy before reading this book, because it's not written for beginners.
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This astronomy book features colour photographs of space phenomena, as well as illustrations of, the structure of the Sun, the paths of comets, and what it would be like if you could actually stand on planets millions of light years away. ... Read more

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Uses experiments to illustrate the phases and patterns of the sun as well as the reasons for its importance as an energy source. ... Read more

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Discover the power of your telescope as you explore the vast reaches of the universe

Want to explore Mars? Observe Jupiter’s cloud bands? Visit a galaxy that’s almost 2 million light years away? With More Telescope Power, you can do all of that and more! Under the guidance of experienced astronomer Gregory Matloff, you’ll uncover the full potential of your telescope as you take a fascinating tour of the universe.

Along the way you’ll learn plenty of new observation techniques, including: using various eyepieces and filters; tracking satellites; observing comets and meteors; using sunspots to determine solar rotation; and much, much more. Filled with dozens of all-new stargazing projects and observing activities, this detailed guide also contains plenty of helpful illustrations such as finder charts, lunar and solar eclipse tables, diagrams, and photos. Whether you’re a science teacher searching for simple telescope projects, an amateur astronomer just learning to use your new telescope, or a science student with a yen for the stars, you’ll find everything you’re looking for in More Telescope Power. ... Read more

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Sundials, which decorate church walls, public plazas, and elegant gardens, are first and foremost astronomical instruments. Before understanding how sundials work, one must first understand the apparent motion of the Sun in the sky. In this book, Denis Savoie presents the basics of astronomy required to understand sundials and describes how to design and build your own classical sundial. Written to engage all levels of science readers, the author shows the calculations involved in the sundial's construction and also gives a comprehensive history of time measurement.

The book begins with an introduction to cosmography through a study of the Sun's annual and diurnal motions. The Celestial Sphere and the local Celestial Sphere, the hour angle of the sun and the equation of Time are all discussed. The author then moves to a brief history of both sundials and time, giving the general principles behind the sundial, the conversion of solar time to clock time, and discussing the local meridian line. The gnomon and the use of its shadow are also explained in detail. In addition, many types of sundials and their different uses are described. These include the polar, horizontal, and north-facing sundial, just to name a few.

The practical and observational aspects of sundials will enable readers to create custom-made sundial of their own, adding whatever special features they wish to include. Most of these designs have been tested by people with no previous knowledge of astronomy. To aid the reader, the book is full of clear and instructive illustrations and diagrams.

Customer Reviews (2)

YOU DONT NEED MORE
I found the complete information to make a sundial, easy language, drawings and explanation, excelent book for begginers and internediates on sundials. A basic book to have it.

Good beginner Book - There are Better
The book has nice clear illustrations.It is not nearly as complete as

Sundials: Their Construction and Use

by R. Newton Mayall and Margaret W. Mayall.Their illustrations are not 'modern media' but definitely clear enough.It has lots more information for the buck than D. Savoie's Sundials.

Savoie's book is easy to read and covers many basic types of dials. The tables for French locations are not helpful and would better be replaced with formulas. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

A very nice and useful book.
I've been reading a lot of older books on telescope making, and this is one of the better ones. It is new enough, 1995, to avoid wasting time on making your own mirror. It focuses on how to use telescopes, basic principles, and general plans for 6 telescopes with extensive notes on a 7th. It's especially nice that the author is not an expert woodworker and the skill level required to build these scopes appears to be within the reach of an average person.

The projects described are as follows:

- Star tracker mount for a camera
- A simple 4-1/4" reflector with a PVC tube
- A 4-1/4" reflector with a wooden tube
- A 6-inch Equatorial mounted reflector
- An 8-inch f/5 reflector
- A 10" Dobsonian

And extensive notes and photos of a portable 8" Dobsonian using only two aluminum struts instead of a 8-tube truss or solid tube. If you're thinking of building a telescope, this book is well worth a look.

Complex but essential for INTERMEDIATE ATM'ers
I have to say at first i was dissapointed. I bought this book as a beginer telescope maker and i had to put it away. Then i bought Richard Berry's book and was enlightened. This is not to say that i don't like this book.If you have some experience with tools and wood i would suggest this bookfirst. Or if you have made at least one telescope before, i would alsosuggest this book. Robert Miller & Wilson have many insights andexamples but in many places they leave you on your own. Fortunately i havea degree in physics and was able to do fine on my own. One of my favoriatescopes was built using 3 of his plans mixed together. If you have a basicidea or have made scopes before... this is the best book to buy. If youhave never made a scope before and are just getting into this field ofastronomy, do yourself a favor and get Richard Berry's book.. (also here onamazon.com) But i promise that if you buy this book later on, you will behappy. If you buy it now,you will get frustrated. What Robert Miller &Wilson did teach me was to, above all, enjoy the scope you make!!

Excellent material on building your own telescope
This book makes it easier to understand the great hobby of Amatuer Telescope Making.I read this book from front to back, twice!Included in this book are easy to follow instructions on making six very usable amatuer telescopes.A must for any astronomer's bookshelf.Also included is a great chapter on a portable 8" reflecting telescope,designed by Bob Scholtz.

Well worth the price
This book is very imformative and useful to the beginning telescope maker.It does not describe mirror grinding or optical testing but very thoroughly explains construction, design, and tips for making 10 inch or less telescopes ... Read more

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In his dreams, Thomas visits space camp and completes his first big homework assignment on the solar system. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Children's Digest, published by Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc. on January 1, 1998. The length of the article is 1764 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Science Fair Projects, Flight, Space and Astronomy. (book reviews)
Publication: Children's Digest (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 1998
Publisher: Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc.
Volume: v48Issue: n1Page: p12(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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This booklet provides over 80 SkyChart III Student Version Projects to accompany Chaisson/McMillan's ASTRONOMY: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE, 3E. The approximate difficulty level of each Project is indicated by a bracketed number at the beginning of each exercise, and an Appendix following the Projects contains general instructions for the SkyChart software. ... Read more