Epitome of Copernican Astronomy and Harmonies of the WorldThe brilliant German mathematician Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), one of the founders of modern astronomy, revolutionized the Copernican heliocentric theory of the universe with his three laws of motion: that the planets move not in circular but elliptical orbits, that their speed is greatest when nearest the sun, and that the sun and planets form an integrated system. This volume contains two of his most important works: The Epitome of Copernican Astronomy (books 4 and 5 of which are translated here) is a textbook of Copernican science, remarkable for the prominence given to physical astronomy and for the extension to the Jovian system of the laws recently discovered to regulate the motions of the Planets. Harmonies of the World (book 5 of which is translated here) expounds an elaborate system of celestial harmonies depending on the varying velocities of the planets. |
Contents
BOOK FOUR | 5 |
On the Principal Parts of | 78 |
On the Causes of the True | 89 |
On the Measure of Time or of | 139 |
On the Equivalence of | 149 |
For the information of the reader | 164 |
Concerning the shape of | 170 |
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Common terms and phrases
Accordingly additosubtraction angle aphelial movement aphelion approximately apsides apsis astronomy Axiom axis Book Brahe cause celestial centre compound concerning concord converging movements Copernicus cube deflection demonstrated diameter diesis distance diurnal dodecahedron Earth and Venus eccentric circle ecliptic ellipse equal extreme movements figures fixed stars follows geometrical globe greater harmonic ratios heavens icosahedron intervals latitude less libration light longitude lower planets lunar magnitude major mean anomaly mean movement measure ment minor sixth moon motor virtue movable bodies move movement of Jupiter movement of Mars movement of Saturn movement of Venus nevertheless node octahedron octave orbit perfect fifth perfect fourth perihelial movement perihelion planetary body primary planets private ratio Proposition quadrant reason region regular solids revolution revolve rotation Saturn and Jupiter semidiameter semitone sine single planets solar body sphere square syzygies terrestrial body tetrahedron things threads Tycho Brahe Venus and Mercury Wherefore