Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

A History of Physical Theories of Comets, From Aristotle to Whipple

  • Book
  • © 2008

Overview

Authors:
  1. Tofigh Heidarzadeh

    1. University of California, Riverside, USA

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • A comprehensive history of physical theories of comets from 300 BC to the appearance of modern theory of comets in the1950s
  • Discusses the details of major theories of comets based on primary sources
  • Illustrates the interaction between observational and mathematical astronomy, and the physical sciences in defining the properties of comets

Part of the book series: Archimedes (ARIM, volume 19)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Aristotle's Theory of Comets

    Pages 1-19

  3. After Aristotle

    Pages 21-51

  4. From Brahe to Newton

    Pages 53-87

  5. Comets in Newtonian Physics

    Pages 89-124

  6. After Newton

    Pages 125-150

  7. Non-Newtonian Theories of Comets

    Pages 151-186

  8. Comets in the Laplacian Cosmos

    Pages 187-209

  9. Comets in the Post-Laplacian Era

    Pages 211-251

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 253-275
    Download chapter PDF
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

Although the development of ideas about the motion and trajectory of comets has been investigated piecemeal, we lack a comprehensive and detailed survey of ph- ical theories of comets. The available works either illustrate relatively short periods in the history of physical cometology or portray a landscape view without adequate details. The present study is an attempt to review – with more details – the major physical theories of comets in the past two millennia, from Aristotle to Whipple. My research, however, did not begin with antiquity. The basic question from which this project originated was a simple inquiry about the cosmic identity of comets at the dawn of the astronomical revolution: how did natural philosophers and astronomers define the nature and place of a new category of celestial objects – comets – after Brahe’s estimation of cometary distances? It was from this turning point in the history of cometary theories that I expanded my studies in both the pre-modern and modern eras. A study starting merely from Brahe and ending with Newton, without covering classical and medieval thought about comets, would be incomplete and leave the fascinating achievements of post-Newtonian cometology unexplored.

Reviews

From the reviews:

Until very recently, comets have been consistently misunderstood and often considered as flaming apparitions thrown at a sinful Earth from the right hand of an avenging God. Today they are considered as icy remnants of the solar system formation process - but still capable of striking Earth. Dr. Heidarzadeh has provided a comprehensive, scholarly and yet interesting history as to how comets have been perceived from ancient times through the mid twentieth century. It is highly recommended for scientists and layman alike."

Donald K. Yeomans, Senior Research Scientist at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion LaboratoryHeidarzadeh's book offers a comprehensive, scholarly survey of physical theories of comets from antiquity to the present day. He offers considerable new detail on Newton's theories and their reception, a topic that has received surprisingly little attention. And he also covers the crucial period in which Laplace and his contemporaries reduced comets from the size of planets to near the size we believe they are today. This is a remarkable trove of information to find in a single book, and it will be invaluable to anyone interested in the history of the physical sciences and especially the history of astronomy and cosmology. -- Peter Barker, University of Oklahoma

“Tofigh Heidarzadeh covers over two thousand years of cometary theory in this book. … does a fine job of examining how theories about the natural world combined with theories about comets … . this book is a valuable and original addition to the literature on the history of astronomy. It provides useful images and tables and Heidarzadeh’s descriptions … are detailed and clear. His book … will appeal to both the specialist and to those new to the topic.” (Elizabeth Burns, Journal for the History of Astronomy, Vol. xli, August, 2010)


 

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of California, Riverside, USA

    Tofigh Heidarzadeh

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: A History of Physical Theories of Comets, From Aristotle to Whipple

  • Authors: Tofigh Heidarzadeh

  • Series Title: Archimedes

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8323-5

  • Publisher: Springer Dordrecht

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-8322-8Published: 02 June 2008

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-90-481-7842-1Published: 02 January 2013

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-4020-8323-5Published: 23 May 2008

  • Series ISSN: 1385-0180

  • Series E-ISSN: 2215-0064

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIV, 278

  • Topics: History of Science, Astronomy, Observations and Techniques

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation