The moon that wasn't : the saga of Venus' spurious satellite

Author/Creator:

Kragh, Helge, 1944-

Publication/Creation:

Basel : Birkhäuser, 2008

Format:

Book

Edition:

1st ed. 2008.

More Details

Additional/Related Title Information

Full Title:

The moon that wasn't : the saga of Venus' spurious satellite / Helge Kragh ; with the assistance of Kurt Møller Pedersen

Series Titles:

Science networks historical studies ; v. 37
Science networks historical studies ; v. 37.

Related Names

Additional Author/Creators:

Møller Pedersen, Kurt

Subjects/Genre

Subjects:

Satellites
Astronomy--History
Venus (Planet)

Description/Summary

Table of Contents:

A moon or not? A century of confusion -- From climax to anticlimax -- Contemporary analysis and criticism -- A spurious but persistent satellite -- Closure: the discussion of the 1880's -- Conclusion, and a note on the satellites of Uranus.

Bibliography:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Summary:

This book details the history of one of astronomy’s many spurious objects, the satellite of Venus. First spotted in 1645, the non-existing moon was observed more than a dozen times until the late eighteenth century. Although few astronomers believed in the existence of the moon after about 1770, it continued to attract attention for at least another century. However, it has largely disappeared from the history of astronomy, and the rich historical sources have never been exploited. By telling the story of the enigmatic satellite in its proper historical context it is demonstrated that it was much more than a mere curiosity in the annals of astronomy – Frederick II of Prussia was familiar with it, and so was Bonnet, Kant and Voltaire. The satellite of Venus belongs to the same category as other fictitious celestial bodies (such as the planet Vulcan), yet it had its own life and fascinating historical trajectory. By following this trajectory, the history of planetary astronomy is addressed in a novel way.

Language:

English

Language Note:

English

Physical Type/Description:

1 online resource (212 p.)

General Note:

Description based upon print version of record.

Additional Identifiers

Catalog ID (MMSID):

9936534798602486

ISBN:

1-281-87248-2
9786611872489
3-7643-8909-5

OCLC Number:

304518941