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The Great Copernicus Chase and Other Adventures in Astronomical History Hardcover – September 25, 1992

by Owen Gingerich (Author)

4 customer reviews

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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.

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Product Details

Hardcover: 316 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (September 25, 1992)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521326885
ISBN-13: 978-0521326889
Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.9 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,388,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3057 in Books > Science & Math > Astronomy & Space Science > Astrophysics & Space Science
- #5334 in Books > Science & Math > Astronomy & Space Science > Astronomy
- #11380 in Books > Science & Math > History & Philosophy

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Top Customer Reviews

Great astronomical historical reference

ByAmazon Customeron May 29, 2000

Format: 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.

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Great collection of essays for the astronomy lover.

ByJohn Rummelon July 27, 2000

Format: 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.

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Incredibly gifted writer!

ByHelmer Aslaksenon November 8, 2000

Format: 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!

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Great.

ByJosieon March 1, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Book arrived in good time and good condition, a few questionable marks on the pages but to be expected for a second hand library book. I'm enjoying reading it. Thanks!

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The Great Copernicus Chase and Other Adventures in Astronomical History Hardcover – September 25, 1992

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