Wandering Star is an innovative popular science book for curious readers interested in astronomy, physics and mathematics. Its goal is to describe the workings of the Solar System by explaining how gravity governs the motions of planets, moons and even the Sun itself.
The book first introduces the Solar System and the fundamental problem of planetary motion. Next, it recounts the extraordinary story of how humanity solved that problem-exploring the revolutionary breakthroughs of Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo and Newton-culminating in the crucial development of Newton's law of universal gravitation.
Alongside this narrative, Wandering Star offers "Satellite" chapters that dive into related phenomena such as tides, eclipses, orbital resonances and even how the date of Easter is determined. These concise explorations broaden the reader's understanding without requiring specialized background.
Blending storytelling and history, Wandering Star is both a guide to how the Solar System works and an account of how we came to know it. It celebrates not just our knowledge of the Solar System, but the centuries-long quest that brought us to understand it; inviting readers to explore the universe with curiosity and confidence.
Key features:
- Explains how gravity controls the motion of the objects in the Solar System.
- Provides an accessible history of the discovery of the laws of astronomy and how this discovery contributed to the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions.
- Is accompanied by interactive support materials comprising forty "Satellites" describing interesting, peripheral topics, and eight appendices providing a deeper understanding of the underlying mathematics.
