For Further Exploration

Articles

Ancient Astronomy

Gingerich, O. “From Aristarchus to Copernicus.” Sky & Telescope (November 1983): 410.

Gingerich, O. “Islamic Astronomy.” Scientific American (April 1986): 74.

Astronomy and Astrology

Fraknoi, A. “Your Astrology Defense Kit.” Sky & Telescope (August 1989): 146.

Copernicus and Galileo

Gingerich, O. “Galileo and the Phases of Venus.” Sky & Telescope (December 1984): 520.

Gingerich, O. “How Galileo Changed the Rules of Science.” Sky & Telescope (March 1993): 32.

Maran, S., and Marschall, L. “The Moon, the Telescope, and the Birth of the Modern World.” Sky & Telescope (February 2009): 28.

Sobel, D. “The Heretic’s Daughter: A Startling Correspondence Reveals a New Portrait of Galileo.” The New Yorker (September 13, 1999): 52.

Websites

Ancient Astronomy

Aristarchos of Samos:. By Dr. Alan Batten.

Claudius Ptolemy : An interesting biography.

Hipparchus of Rhodes :  An interesting biography.

Astronomy and Astrology

Astrology and Science. The best site for a serious examination of the issues with astrology and the research on whether it works.

Real Romance in the Stars: 1995 newspaper commentary attacking astrology.

Copernicus and Galileo

Galileo Galilei: A good biography with additional links.

Galileo Project: Rice University’s repository of information on Galileo.

Nicolaus Copernicus:  A biography including links to photos about his life.

Videos

Astronomy and Astrology

Astrology Debunked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y84HX2pMo5U. A compilation of scientists and magicians commenting skeptically on astrology (9:09).

Copernicus and Galileo

Galileo:  A brief biography (2:51).

Galileo’s Battle for the Heavens:A NOVA episode on PBS (1:48:55)

Nicolaus Copernicus: 9256984. An overview of his life and work (2:41).

Glossary

accelerateto change velocity; to speed up, slow down, or change direction.heliocentriccentred on the Sun