Archives of the Universe: a Treasury of Astronomy's Historic Works of Discovery.ARCHIVES OF THE UNIVERSE: A Treasury of Astronomy's Historic Works of Discovery MARCIA BARTUSIAK Science writer Bartusiak tells the history of astronomy Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, dating back to antiquity, with its origins in the religious, mythological, and astrological practices of pre-history: vestiges of these are still found in astrology, a discipline long interwoven with public and governmental astronomy, and through the words of the greatest thinkers the field has known. She presents excerpts from 100 seminal documents about celestial ce·les·tial adj. 1. Of or relating to the sky or the heavens: Planets are celestial bodies. 2. Of or relating to heaven; divine: celestial beings. 3. phenomena, accounts that furthered people's understanding of the cosmos and revealed the nature of the scientists who wrote them. Each account is prefaced by Bartusiak's words providing historical and scientific context. The text is ordered chronologically. Leading off, "Ancient Sky" includes papers documenting the earliest naked-eye observations and the Mayans' first cosmic mappings. The concluding section brings readers to modern-day astronomy and describes continuing attempts to explain dark matter and an accelerating universe. Other astronomical milestones range from Tycho Brahe's accomplishments at the first observatory observatory, scientific facility especially equipped to detect and record naturally occurring scientific phenomena. Although geological and meteorological observatories exist, the term is generally applied to astronomical observatories. in Europe to the launch of X-ray astronomy X-ray astronomy, study of celestial objects by means of the X rays they emit, in the wavelength range from 0.01 to 10 nanometers. X-ray astronomy dates to 1949 with the discovery that the sun emits X rays. . Bartusiak's selections make a coherent and compelling history. Pantheon pantheon (păn`thēŏn', –thēən), term applied originally to a temple to all the gods. The Pantheon at Rome was built by Agrippa in 27 B.C., destroyed, and rebuilt in the 2d cent. by Hadrian. , 2004, 695 p., b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $35.00. |
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