Nicolas-Louis De La Caille, Astronomer and GeodesistOUP Oxford, 2013 - 194 עמודים La Caille was one of the observational astronomers and geodesists who followed Newton in developing ideas about celestial mechanics and the shape of the earth. He provided data to the great 18th-century mathematicians involved in understanding the complex gravitational effects that the heavenly bodies have on one another. Observing from the Cape of Good Hope, he made the first ever telescopic sky survey and gave many of the southern constellations their present-day names. He measured the paths of the planets and determined their distances by trigonometry. In addition, he made a controversial measurement of the radius of the earth that seemed to prove it was pear-shaped. On a practical level, La Caille developed the method of `Lunars' for determining longitudes at sea. He mapped the Cape. As an influential teacher he propagated Newton's theory of universal gravitation at a time when it was only beginning to be accepted on the European continent. This book gives the most comprehensive overview so far available of La Caille's life and work, showing how he interacted with his often difficult colleagues. It places special emphasis on his life at, and his observations and comments on, the Cape of Good Hope, where he spent the years 1751-53. |
תוכן
Introduction | 1 |
Early life | 5 |
The Cape | 33 |
The shape of the earth | 67 |
Notes about the Cape | 84 |
Later years | 113 |
Paradox resolved | 150 |
Astronomical terms | 168 |
Currency and length conversions | 170 |
Note on the Journal Historique | 172 |
Timeline | 175 |
Sources and acknowledgements | 176 |
Bibliography | 179 |
185 | |
מהדורות אחרות - הצג הכל
Nicolas-Louis De La Caille, Astronomer and Geodesist <span dir=ltr>Ian Stewart Glass</span> תצוגה מקדימה מוגבלת - 2012 |
Nicolas-Louis De La Caille, Astronomer and Geodesist <span dir=ltr>Ian Stewart Glass</span> תצוגה מקדימה מוגבלת - 2012 |
Nicolas-Louis De La Caille, Astronomer and Geodesist <span dir=ltr>Ian Stewart Glass</span> אין תצוגה מקדימה זמינה - 2012 |
מונחים וביטויים נפוצים
Abbé Abbé’s Academy of Sciences angles Anne-Louise Archives astronomers Bailly baseline beacon Bestbier Bouguer Bradley’s Caille Caille’s observatory calculations Cape Town Carlier Cassini de Thury catalogue century Clairaut Collège Mazarin comet Condamine constellations d’Alembert D’Après dated Delambre distance Dutch earth east error Everest expedition farm feet French geodetic Governor Grandjean de Fouchy Groene Kloof hemisphere Hope Hottentots Institut de France instruments Jean-Sylvain Bailly Jeuneux Journal Historique Kapokberg Kasteelberg Klipfontein Kolbe La Caille’s Lalande large number later latitude longitude Maclear Maraldi mathematical mathematicians Maupertuis Mauritius measurement mentioned Mentzel meridian Monnier Moon Newton’s Newtonian Nicolas-Louis north–south observations Observatoire de Paris orbit Paris Meridian Paris Observatory Piketberg planets poles positions precise published quadrant radius Right Ascension Royal Academy scientists sector slaves southern stars survey Swartland Table Mountain telescope theory toises triangles Venus voyage wagons wine zenith