The Ballet of the Planets: A Mathematician's Musings on the Elegance of Planetary Motion

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Donald Benson (Emeritus Professor, Emeritus Professor, University of California, Davis)

The Ballet of the Planets

A Mathematician's Musings on the Elegance of Planetary Motion

Donald Benson (Emeritus Professor, Emeritus Professor, University of California, Davis)

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
28 June 2012

Mathematics & Sciences; History of science; Theoretical & mathematical astronomy; Popular astronomy & space

The Ballet of the Planets unravels the beautiful mystery of planetary motion, revealing how our understanding of astronomy evolved from Archimedes and Ptolemy to Copernicus, Kepler, and Newton. Mathematician Donald Benson shows that ancient theories of planetary motion were based on the assumptions that the Earth was the center of the universe and the planets moved in a uniform circular motion. Since ancient astronomers noted that occasionally a planet would exhibit retrograde motion--would seem to reverse its direction and move briefly westward--they concluded that the planets moved in epicyclic curves, circles with smaller interior loops, similar to the patterns of a child's Spirograph. With the coming of the Copernican revolution, the retrograde motion was seen to be apparent rather than real, leading to the idea that the planets moved in ellipses. This laid the ground for Newton's great achievement--integrating the concepts of astronomy and mechanics--which revealed not only how the planets moved, but also why. Throughout, Benson focuses on naked-eye astronomy, which makes it easy for the novice to grasp the work of these pioneers of astronomy.

By: Donald Benson (Emeritus Professor Emeritus Professor University of California Davis)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 242mm, Width: 163mm, Spine: 19mm
Weight: 388g
ISBN: 9780199891009
ISBN 10: 0199891001
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 28 June 2012
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for The Ballet of the Planets: A Mathematician's Musings on the Elegance of Planetary Motion

<br> Although this book complements Norriss S. Hetherington's Planetary Motions: A Historical Perspective, it is unique in its eclectic mix of detailed mathematical proofs, numerous figures, and solved problems...An essential book for any planetary astronomy collection. -- Library Journal<p><br>