Celestial Treasury: From the Music of the Spheres to the Conquest of Space

by Marc Lachièze-Rey, Jean-Pierre Luminet

Throughout history, the mysterious dark skies have inspired our imaginations in countless ways, influencing our endeavors in science and philosophy, religion, literature, and art. Filled with 380 full-color illustrations, Celestial Treasury shows the influence of astronomical theories and the richness of illustrations in Western civilization through the ages. The authors explore the evolution of our understanding of astronomy and weave together ancient and modern theories in a fascinating narrative. They incorporate a wealth of detail from Greek verse, medieval manuscripts and Victorian poetry with contemporary spacecraft photographs and computer-generated star charts. Celestial Treasury is more than a beautiful it answers a variety of questions that have intrigued scientists and laymen for centuries.

217 pages, Hardcover

First published July 16, 2001