Investigating The Origin Of The Asteroids And Early Findings On Vesta: Historical Studies In Asteroid Research
by Clifford J. Cunningham /
2017 / English / PDF
11.9 MB Download
This book assesses the origin of asteroids by analyzing the
discovery of Vesta in 1807. Wilhelm Olbers, who discovered Vesta,
suggested that the asteroids were the result of a primordial
planet’s explosion. Cunningham studies that idea in detail
through the writings of Sir David Brewster in Scotland, the era's
most prolific writer about the asteroids. He also examines the
link between meteorites and asteroids, revealing a synergy
between Ernst Chladni, Romantic symbolism, and the music of the
spheres.
This book assesses the origin of asteroids by analyzing the
discovery of Vesta in 1807. Wilhelm Olbers, who discovered Vesta,
suggested that the asteroids were the result of a primordial
planet’s explosion. Cunningham studies that idea in detail
through the writings of Sir David Brewster in Scotland, the era's
most prolific writer about the asteroids. He also examines the
link between meteorites and asteroids, revealing a synergy
between Ernst Chladni, Romantic symbolism, and the music of the
spheres.
Vesta was a lightning rod for controversy throughout the
nineteenth century with observers arguing over its size and
color, and the astounding notion that it was
self-luminous. It was also a major force for change, as new
methods in the field of celestial mechanics were developed to
study the orbital perturbations it is subject to. A large
selection of private correspondence and scientific papers
complete the first comprehensive historical study of Vesta ever
published.
Vesta was a lightning rod for controversy throughout the
nineteenth century with observers arguing over its size and
color, and the astounding notion that it was
self-luminous. It was also a major force for change, as new
methods in the field of celestial mechanics were developed to
study the orbital perturbations it is subject to. A large
selection of private correspondence and scientific papers
complete the first comprehensive historical study of Vesta ever
published.
With a synoptic look at the four asteroids, Ceres, Pallas, Juno
and Vesta, Cunningham provides a valuable resource on asteroid
origins and explains how they were integrated into the newly
revealed solar system of the early nineteenth century.
With a synoptic look at the four asteroids, Ceres, Pallas, Juno
and Vesta, Cunningham provides a valuable resource on asteroid
origins and explains how they were integrated into the newly
revealed solar system of the early nineteenth century.
