A History of Astronomy


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.2 stars; 12 reviews)

In this book, Walter W. Bryant traces the history of astronomy through the ages. We start at the very beginning, where astronomy was an occupation of priests, move with the help of the Arabs through the middle ages to the (re-) discovery of the heliocentric system by Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, and Galileo. A discussion of Newton and his laws follows as well as a description of the biographies and works of successors like Halley, Herschel, and Bessel. The second half of the book deals with (at the time) recent discoveries with respect to our solar system and the comets, meteors, and stars beyond. (Summary by Ava) (10 hr 0 min)

Chapters

Preface 2:20 Read by Availle
I Early Notions 11:28 Read by Availle
II The Eastern Nations of Antiquity 10:21 Read by Adrian Stephens
III The Greeks 20:16 Read by Adrian Stephens
IV The Arabs 6:24 Read by Alan Mapstone
V The Revival - Copernicus - Tycho Brahe 19:12 Read by Adrian Stephens
VI Kepler - Galileo 14:16 Read by Adrian Stephens
VII Newton 10:53 Read by Alan Mapstone
VIII Newton's Successors: Laplace 16:36 Read by Son of the Exiles
IX Flamsteed - Halley - Bradley - Herschel 18:38 Read by Alan Mapstone
X The Early Nineteenth Century - Neptune 15:50 Read by Marya James
XI Herschel - Bessel - Struve 23:21 Read by Richard Reiman
XII Comets 12:19 Read by J. M. Smallheer
XIII The Sun - Eclipses - Parallax 22:58 Read by Amanda Mehl
XIV General Astronomy and Celestial Mechanics 24:58 Read by Marya James
XV Observatories and Instruments 15:32 Read by realisticspeakers
XVI Adjustment of Observations - Personal Errors 7:54 Read by realisticspeakers
XVII The Sun 24:02 Read by Marya James
XVIII Solar Spectroscopy 21:30 Read by Paul Harvey
XIX Solar Eclipses - Spectroscopy 26:16 Read by Availle
XX The Moon 13:40 Read by jr6524
XXI The Earth 12:40 Read by jr6524
XXII The Interior Planets 14:03 Read by djblackett
XXIII Mars 18:39 Read by djblackett
XXIV Minor Planets 11:17 Read by Alix Grace
XXV The Major Planets 22:37 Read by Alix Grace
XXVI The Solar System 9:56 Read by J. M. Smallheer
XXVII Comets, Meteors, Zodiacal Light 47:46 Read by Availle
XXVIII The Stars - Catalogues - Proper Motion - Parallax - Magnitude 36:33 Read by Marvin
XXIX Double Stars 20:02 Read by Marya James
XXX Variable Stars 21:16 Read by drwolfe88
XXXI Clusters - Nebulae - Milky Way 13:13 Read by VTDave
XXXII Stellar Spectroscopy 24:58 Read by Availle
XXXIII Conclusion 9:00 Read by drwolfe88

Reviews

great overview


(5 stars)

really simple to follow. great information.