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History of Astronomy
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The history of astronomy took a dramatic turn in the 16th century as a result of the Polish astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus. He showed that the motion of the planets can be explained by assuming a central position for the Sun rather than for the Earth (he believed Aristarchus’ theory!).
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These reflections, arising from the writing of this History, go to explain the invariable humility of the great mathematical astronomers. Newton’s comparison of himself to the child on the seashore applies to them all. As each new discovery opens up, it may be, boundless oceans for investigation, for wonder, and for admiration, the great astronomers, refusing to accept mere hypotheses as true, have founded upon these discoveries a science as exact in its observation of facts as in theories. So it is that these men, who have built up the most sure and most solid of all the sciences, refuse to invite others to join them in vain speculation. The writer has, therefore, in this short History, tried to follow that great master, Airy, whose pupil he was, and the key to whose character was exactness and accuracy; and he recognises that Science is impotent except in her own limited sphere.
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Together with Garland publishing’s excellent Encyclopaedia of Cosmology (edited Norris Hetherington, 1993), these two volumes provide welcome reference material on the history of astronomy in all its forms. This is an increasingly necessary task in view of the rediscovery of ancient cosmologies and the rapid advances in modern astronomy and the publishers and editors of both deserve congratulations for their work. The Cambridge edition is aimed more at the general market while the Garland edition is more specialised, but both have their place. The Garland edition includes short articles on such matters as literature and astronomy but it is not always apparent where one should turn to for the relevant information. There is no listing under ‘Maya’ for example, and one would stumble by chance upon the entry for the Mayan observatory, the Caracol at Chichén Itza. There are ... some curious omissions, such as Thales, who should surely deserve a mention.
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Interestingly, the history of astronomy in the early 20th century seems to reflect strong cooperation between amateurs and professionals. The first modern organization dedicated to astronomy was "Nihon Tenmon Gakkai" (The Astronomical Society of Japan). Founded in 1908 and open to both amateurs and professionals, the society's main purpose was education and dissemination of information about astronomy. Active observation among amateurs was encouraged, and the Society published several journals which included both professional and amateur observations.
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The period from Copernicus to Newton is certainly one of the richest and most important in the history of astronomy. Material covering this period is plentiful and one of the chief challenges for the casual historian of astronomy is culling through the options and deciding what to read.
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The American Museum of Natural History was established in New York City in 1869. It is noted for major collections in all of the natural sciences. The museum was a pioneer in mounting field expeditions and in contemporary museum presentation, creating dioramas and other exhibits with natural habitats. There are more than 30 million research specimens in the museum.
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History of Astronomy