Planetary astronomy Book

In Planetary Astronomy: From Ancient Times to the Third Millennium, Ronald A. Schorn looks at the world's oldest science from ancient times to the present. He reviews how society, mindsets, and planetary astronomy have changed over the millennia. He then presents a firsthand account of the triumphs, tragedies, and fiascos in the field, describing his view of how planetary astronomy "fell from grace" in the scientific community. Presenting both the nonplanetary astronomers and planetary astronomers' viewpoints. Schorn draws on hundreds of interviews, direct observation, and extensive documentation to render events with a sense of immediacy and reality.The field's darkest hours at midcentury were soon eclipsed by an era of spectacular triumphs ushered in by the rise of the U.S. space program, in particular the programs beginning in 1958 administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA funds provided both ground-based facilities and spacecraft that made it possible for those scientists to make a series of stunning discoveries. Planetary Astronomy offers more than the usual time line of events. This rare "inside" examination will interest readers of space exploration, astronomy, and the history of science.