Discovery and Classification in Astronomy: Controversy and Consensus
Cambridge University Press
Edition: Illustrated, 9/9/2013
EAN 9781107033610, ISBN10: 1107033616
Hardcover, 472 pages, 25.4 x 18 x 2.8 cm
Language: English
Astronomical discovery involves more than detecting something previously unseen. The reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006, and the controversy it generated, shows that discovery is a complex and ongoing process – one comprising various stages of research, interpretation and understanding. Ranging from Galileo's observation of Jupiter's satellites, Saturn's rings and star clusters, to Herschel's nebulae and the modern discovery of quasars and pulsars, Steven J. Dick's comprehensive history identifies the concept of 'extended discovery' as the engine of progress in astronomy. The text traces more than 400 years of telescopic observation, exploring how the signal discoveries of new astronomical objects relate to and inform one another, and why controversies such as Pluto's reclassification are commonplace in the field. The volume is complete with a detailed classification system for known classes of astronomical objects, offering students, researchers and amateur observers a valuable reference and guide.
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
the natural history of the heavens and the natural history of discovery
Part I. Entrée
1. The Pluto affair
Part II. Narratives of Discovery
2. Moons, rings, and asteroids
discovery in the realm of the planets
3. In Herschel's gardens
nebulous discoveries in the realm of the stars
4. Dwarfs, giants, and planets (again!)
the discovery of the stars themselves
5. Galaxies, quasars, and clusters
discovery in the realm of the galaxies
Part III. Patterns of Discovery
6. The structure of discovery
7. The varieties of discovery
8. Discovery and classification
Part IV. Drivers of Discovery
9. Technology and theory as drivers of discovery
Part V. The Synthesis of Discovery
10. Luxuriant gardens and the master narrative
11. The meaning of discovery
Appendix I
Appendix II.