The Great Copernicus Chase and Other Adventures in Astronomical History [Hardcover]

Owen Gingerich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 1992

The Great Copernicus Chase is an anthology of 36 incidents drawn from the history of astronomy. The chapters range from Stonehenge and ancient Egypt, to the Great Comet of 1965, and to Albert Einstein. In this series of articles, arranged roughly chronologically, Professor Gingerich covers all the important periods and developments in astronomy. The book is generously illustrated throughout, and opportunity has been taken to add illustrations to articles that originally had none. The curious reader will learn of the origin of the zodiac, Islamic astronomy, fake astrolabes, the foundation of modern astronomy in the USA, and the discovery of the spiral arms of our Galaxy. Although Professor Gingerich prepared this material primarily for readers interested in the historical background to astronomy, there are many original research discoveries and insights. This is popularization and intellectual history combined. The Copernicus Chase refers to Owen Gingerich's attempt to make a census of all extant copies of De Revolutionibus. Some of the many adventures that have befallen him in this quest feature in the book. The majority of the chapters originally appeared in Sky and Telescope, the monthly astronomy magazine published by Sky Publishing Corporation of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The essays are beguiling and well written ... well worth reading and the book will bring them to a wider audience ...' Nature

'It is anecdotal and eminently readable, but underneath its racy and unstructured exterior it makes some strong historical points with authority that such popular writing usually lacks.' Times Literary Supplement

' ... potential readers should be warned that ... this book is difficult to put down ... a book to read, to dip into in odd moments, to use for reference; above all, it is a book to enjoy.' Contemporary Physics

Book Description

The Great Copernicus Chase describes 36 incidents drawn from the history of astronomy. The chapters range from Stonehenge and ancient Egypt, to the Great Comet of 1965, and to Albert Einstein. In this series of articles, arranged roughly chronologically, Professor Gingerich covers all the important periods and developments in a book that is generously illustrated throughout.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 316 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (September 25, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521326885
• ISBN-13: 978-0521326889
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,520,174 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great collection of essays for the astronomy lover., July 27, 2000

By 

John Rummel (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Copernicus Chase and Other Adventures in Astronomical History (Hardcover)

A collection of 36 Gingerich articles that appeared in various magazines in the 1970's and 80's, all with a brief introduction by Gingerich. This collection is immensely entertaining, as he tackles such issues as Ptolemy's attempts to explain the motions of Mercury to the discovery of the Milky Way's spiral structure. Every essay is meticulously researched and will present a rich source for the amateur historian of astronomy and science.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great astronomical historical reference, May 29, 2000

By 

Stephen M. Hall (Robbinsville, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Great Copernicus Chase and Other Adventures in Astronomical History (Hardcover)

Being a collection of 36 magazine columns, The Great Copernicus Chase doesn't "read". Each chapter is completely independent, ready to be studied when you need or want information on its subject.

But that information is thorough, clearly explained, and scholarly. There are high quality illustrations with detailed captions. It's printed on heavy coated stock, a keeper.

For example, consider Chapter 17 titled "Fake astrolabes." Gingerich explains how astrolabes work and shows detailed photographs of several. He points out what distinguishes a genuine from a fake. Finally, he offers suggestions for further reading. It's about 6-1/2 pages in length (this chapter) and can be read in 10 minutes. But if you were considering purchasing an "old" astrolabe, it could save you hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars. I tried searching the internet for comparable information, unsuccessfully.

Other chapters deal with subjects like: the zodiac, Stonehenge, Islamic astronomy, Galileo, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, comets, eclipse paths, nebula, planets, the Milky Way, and Einstein.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly gifted writer!, November 8, 2000

By 

Helmer Aslaksen (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Copernicus Chase and Other Adventures in Astronomical History (Hardcover)

This book is an incredible mix of great story-telling and superb teaching. He has selected some fascinating topics, and manges to explain the astronomy behind it very well. His writing is so good that I even enjoyed some of the chapters that I didn't think I was going to be interested in!

One good way to judge somebody is to see what they say about something you (think) you know something about. Gingerich always adds new insight to topics that I thought I was familiar with already. One of my favorite examples is the cola-can universe when discussing Stonehenge. Read it for yourself!