Great Astronomers

Robert S. (Robert Stawell) Ball

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• Publié par: essu
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 24
• Langue: English

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Astronomers, by R. S. Ball
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Title: Great AstronomersAuthor: R. S. Ball
Release Date: August 2000 [EBook #2298]
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Language: English
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ASTRONOMERS
by SIR ROBERT S. BALL D.Sc. LL.D. F.R.S.
Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Geometry
in the
University of Cambridge
Author of "In Starry Realms" "In the High Heavens"
etc.
[PLATE: GREENWICH OBSERVATORY.]
PREFACE.
It has been my object in these pages to present
the life of each astronomer in such detail as to
enable the reader to realise in some degree the
man's character and surroundings; and I have
endeavoured to indicate as clearly ascircumstances would permit the main features of
the discoveries by which he has become known.
There are many types of astronomers—from the
stargazer who merely watches the heavens, to the
abstract mathematician who merely works at his
desk; it has, consequently, been necessary in the
case of some lives to adopt a very different
treatment from that which seemed suitable for
others.
While the work was in progress, some of the
sketches appeared in "Good Words." The chapter
on Brinkley has been chiefly derived from an article
on the "History of Dunsink Observatory," which
was published on the occasion of the tercentenary
celebration of the University of Dublin in 1892, and
the life of Sir William Rowan Hamilton is taken, with
a few alterations and omissions, from an article
contributed to the "Quarterly Review" on Graves'
life of the great mathematician. The remaining
chapters now appear for the first time. For many of
the facts contained in the sketch of the late
Professor Adams, I am indebted to the obituary
notice written by my friend Dr. J. W. L. Glaisher,
for the Royal Astronomical Society; while with
regard to the late Sir George Airy, I have a similar
acknowledgment to make to Professor H. H.
Turner. To my friend Dr. Arthur A. Rambaut I owe
my hearty thanks for his kindness in aiding me in
the revision of the work.
R.S.B.
The Observatory, Cambridge.October, 1895CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
PTOLEMY.
COPERNICUS.
TYCHO BRAHE.
GALILEO.
KEPLER.
ISAAC NEWTON.
FLAMSTEED.
HALLEY.
BRADLEY.
WILLIAM HERSCHEL.
LAPLACE.BRINKLEY.
JOHN HERSCHEL.
THE EARL OF ROSSE.
AIRY.
HAMILTON.
LE VERRIER.
ADAMS.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH.
PTOLEMY.
PTOLEMY'S PLANETARY SCHEME.
PTOLEMY'S THEORY OF THE MOVEMENT OF
MARS.
THORN, FROM AN OLD PRINT.COPERNICUS.
FRAUENBURG, FROM AN OLD PRINT.
EXPLANATION OF PLANETARY MOVEMENTS.
TYCHO BRAHE.
TYCHO'S CROSS STAFF.
TYCHO'S "NEW STAR" SEXTANT OF 1572.
TYCHO'S TRIGONIC SEXTANT.
TYCHO'S ASTRONOMIC SEXTANT.
TYCHO'S EQUATORIAL ARMILLARY.
THE GREAT AUGSBURG QUADRANT.
TYCHO'S "NEW SCHEME OF THE
TERRESTRIAL SYSTEM," 1577.
URANIBORG AND ITS GROUNDS.
GROUND-PLAN OF THE OBSERVATORY.
THE OBSERVATORY OF URANIBORG, ISLANDOF HVEN.
EFFIGY ON TYCHO'S TOMB AT PRAGUE.
By Permission of Messrs. A. & C. Black.
TYCHO'S MURAL QUADRANT, URANIBORG.
GALILEO'S PENDULUM.
GALILEO.
THE VILLA ARCETRI.
FACSIMILE SKETCH OF LUNAR SURFACE BY
GALILEO.
CREST OF GALILEO'S FAMILY.
KEPLER'S SYSTEM OF REGULAR SOLIDS.
KEPLER.
SYMBOLICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE
PLANETARY SYSTEM.
THE COMMEMORATION OF THE RUDOLPHINE
TABLES.
WOOLSTHORPE MANOR.