The role of ephemerides from Ptolemy to Kepler
pp. 17-24
Abstract
Celestial timekeeping relied in the first instance on the movements of the stars and planets. The principal systematic positions of planets are recorded in ephemerides, which are primarily predictions, not observations. Prior to the invention of printing, ephemerides are extremely rare, which gives lie to the widespread mythology that astronomers before the days of printing were eagerly observing the heavens to add epicycles to improve the accuracy of the tables.
Publication details
Published in:
Felicitas Arias Elisa, Combrinck Ludwig, Gabor Pavel, Hohenkerk Catherine (2017) The science of time 2016: time in astronomy & society, past, present and future. Dordrecht, Springer.
Pages: 17-24
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-59909-0_3
Full citation:
Gingerich Owen (2017) „The role of ephemerides from Ptolemy to Kepler“, In: E. Felicitas arias, L. Combrinck, P. Gabor & C. Hohenkerk (eds.), The science of time 2016, Dordrecht, Springer, 17–24.