Galileo's New Universe: The Revolution in Our Understanding of the Cosmos

· BenBella Books, Inc.
Ebook
184
Pages
Eligible
Ratings and reviews aren’t verified  Learn More

About this ebook

The historical and social implications of the telescope and that instrument's modern-day significance are brought into startling focus in this fascinating account. When Galileo looked to the sky with his perspicillum, or spyglass, roughly 400 years ago, he could not have fathomed the amount of change his astonishing findings—a seemingly flat moon magically transformed into a dynamic, crater-filled orb and a large, black sky suddenly held millions of galaxies—would have on civilizations. Reflecting on how Galileo's world compares with contemporary society, this insightful analysis deftly moves from the cutting-edge technology available in 17th-century Europe to the unbelievable phenomena discovered during the last 50 years, documenting important astronomical advances and the effects they have had over the years.

About the author

Dr. Stephen P. Maran spent more than 35 years in NASA, working on the Hubble Space Telescope and other scientific projects, and is the press officer for the American Astronomical Society. His 10 previous books include Astronomy for Dummies® and The Astronomy and Astrophysics Encyclopedia. His awards and honors include the naming of an asteroid for him by the International Astronomical Union, the NASA Medal for Exceptional Achievement, the American Astronomical Society's George Van Biesbroeck Prize, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific's Klumpke-Roberts Award for outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy. Residence: Chevy Chase, MD.

Laurence A. Marschall is the WKT Sahm Professor of Physics at Gettysburg College and the author of The Supernova Story. He is a regular columnist for Natural History, a contributing editor of Smithsonian Air and Space, and an astronomy contributor for The World Book Encyclopedia. He is the deputy press officer of the American Astronomical Society and has been published in numerous publications, including Astronomy, Discover, Harper's, Newsday, and The New York Times Book Review. He lives in Gettysburg, PA.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.