A Survey of European Astronomical Tables in the Late Middle Ages

José Chabás, University Pompeu Fabra and Bernard R. Goldstein, University of Pittsburgh

A Survey of European Astronomical Tables in the Late Middle Ages is a first attempt to classify and illustrate the numerous astronomical tables compiled from about the 10th century to the early 16th century in the Latin West. The compilation of astronomical tables was a major and dynamic intellectual enterprise. These tables respond to a wide variety of astronomical problems and computational needs, and contain a large number of ingenious solutions proposed by astronomers over the centuries. In the absence of algebraic notation and mathematical graphing techniques, a table was often the best way to transmit precise information to the reader. Indeed, an astronomical table is not a just a list of data, but a structured way to present numerical information of astronomical interest.

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Available: In Print

€107.00$149.00

Author:

José Chabás

Bernard R. Goldstein

Category:

History - History of Science & Medicine

BIC2:

Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500, History of science

Volume:

Series:

Time, Astronomy, and Calendars

ISSN:

2211-632X

ISBN13:

9789004230583

Publication Year:

2012

Edition info:

Version:

Hardback

Publication Type:

Book

Pages, Illustrations:

xx, 250 pp.

Imprint:

BRILL

Language:

English

Biographical note Readership Table of contents

Biographical note

José Chabás, Ph. D. (1998), University of Barcelona, Spain, is University Professor Emeritus at the University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. He has focused his work on astronomy during the Middle Ages and the early modern period, with a special emphasis on astronomical tables.

Bernard R. Goldstein, Ph.D. (1963) in History of Mathematics, Brown University, is University Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. He has published extensively on ancient and medieval astronomy, based on sources in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic.

Readership

All those interested in the history of science in the Middle Ages, history of astronomy, computational techniques, and late medieval intellectual history.

Preface
Introduction
1. Chronology
2. Trigonometry and spherical astronomy
3. Equation of time
4. Precession and apogees
5. Mean motions and radices
6. Equations
7. True positions
8. Velocity
9. Latitudes
10. Stations and retrogradations
11. Visibility of the Moon and the planets
12. Parallax
13. Syzygies
14. Planetary conjunctions
15. Eclipses
16. Fixed stars
17. Geographical lists
18. Astrology
19. Miscellaneous
Bibliography
Index

€121.00$166.00

Series:

TAC

Volume:

Version:

Hardback

ISBN13:

9789004212190

Status:

Available: In Print

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