The Day the World Discovered the SunThe Day the World Discovered the Sun
An Extraordinary Story of Scientific Adventure and the Race to Track the Transit of Venus
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Book, 2012
Current format, Book, 2012, 1st Da Capo Press ed, Available .Book, 2012
Current format, Book, 2012, 1st Da Capo Press ed, Available . Offered in 0 more formatsTraces how a rare Venus eclipse helped eighteenth-century scientists to study important physical dimensions of the solar system, an effort that involved numerous life-threatening scientific expeditions.
An account of the 18th-century competition to measure the distance to the sun and enable key advances in navigation traces how a rare Venus eclipse helped period scientists to study important physical dimensions of the solar system, an effort that involved numerous life-threatening scientific expeditions. By the author of "Shakespeare" By Another Name.
During the Venus transit, which occurs about two times each century, Venus is visible as a dot traveling across the sun as the planet passes between the sun and Earth. Author Anderson, a science writer who has appeared on NPR, recounts the stories of three explorers and scientists who studied the Venus transit of their eras: French astronomer Jean-Baptise Chappe d-Auteroche, British naval officer James Cook, and Hungarian priest Maximillian Hell. The book describes the significance of their discoveries in astronomy and sea navigation based on the Venus transit. A technical appendix explains methods for calculating solar distance using measurements from the Venus transit. B&w maps and historical illustrations complement the text. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
On June 3, 1769, the planet Venus briefly passed across the face of the sun in a cosmic alignment that occurs twice per century. Anticipation of the rare celestial event sparked a worldwide competition among aspiring global superpowers, each sending their own scientific expeditions to far-flung destinations to time the planet’s trek. These pioneers used the ?Venus Transit” to discover the physical dimensions of the solar system and refine the methods of discovering longitude at sea.
In the tradition of Longitude, a page-turning story of eighteenth-century astronomers racing to find the distance to the sun and the keys to worldwide navigation
An account of the 18th-century competition to measure the distance to the sun and enable key advances in navigation traces how a rare Venus eclipse helped period scientists to study important physical dimensions of the solar system, an effort that involved numerous life-threatening scientific expeditions. By the author of "Shakespeare" By Another Name.
During the Venus transit, which occurs about two times each century, Venus is visible as a dot traveling across the sun as the planet passes between the sun and Earth. Author Anderson, a science writer who has appeared on NPR, recounts the stories of three explorers and scientists who studied the Venus transit of their eras: French astronomer Jean-Baptise Chappe d-Auteroche, British naval officer James Cook, and Hungarian priest Maximillian Hell. The book describes the significance of their discoveries in astronomy and sea navigation based on the Venus transit. A technical appendix explains methods for calculating solar distance using measurements from the Venus transit. B&w maps and historical illustrations complement the text. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
On June 3, 1769, the planet Venus briefly passed across the face of the sun in a cosmic alignment that occurs twice per century. Anticipation of the rare celestial event sparked a worldwide competition among aspiring global superpowers, each sending their own scientific expeditions to far-flung destinations to time the planet’s trek. These pioneers used the ?Venus Transit” to discover the physical dimensions of the solar system and refine the methods of discovering longitude at sea.
In this fast-paced narrative, Mark Anderson reveals the stories of three Venus Transit voyages--to the heart of the Arctic, the New World, and the Pacific—that risked every mortal peril of a candlelit age. With time running out, each expedition struggles to reach its destination?a quest that races to an unforgettable climax on a momentous summer day when the universe suddenly became much larger than anyone had dared to imagine.
The Day the World Discovered the Sun tells an epic story of the enduring human desire to understand our place in the universe.
In the tradition of Longitude, a page-turning story of eighteenth-century astronomers racing to find the distance to the sun and the keys to worldwide navigation
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- Boston : Da Capo Press, c2012.
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