Planets and Perception
eBook - PDF

Planets and Perception

Telescopic Views and Interpretations, 1609-1909

  1. 341 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Planets and Perception

Telescopic Views and Interpretations, 1609-1909

About this book

Astronomy Book of the Year, Mercury Magazine (Astronomical Society of the Pacific)

Do we really know what we see through a telescope? How does the ocular system construct planetary images, and how does the brain interpret them? Drawing on both astronomical and psychological data, William Sheehan offers the first systematic analysis of the perceptual and cognitive factors that go into the initial structuring of a planetary image and its subsequent elaboration. Sheehan details the development of lunar and planetary astronomy, beginning with Galileo's study of the moon, and focuses particularly on the discover of "canals" on Mars. Through each episode he underscores a perceptual or psychological theme, such as the importance of differences in vision, tachistoscopic perceptual effects, the influence of expectation and suggestion on what one sees, and the social psychology of scientific discovery. Planets and Perception is a provocative book that will intrigue anyone who has ever looked through a telescope. In addition, it offers the psychologically oriented reader a case history in the processes of perception unlike any other in the literature.

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Yes, you can access Planets and Perception by William Sheehan in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Biological Sciences & Science History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title page
  3. Copyright information
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. List of Illustrations
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. Chapter 1. Victorians, Apes, and Martians
  9. Chapter 2. The Face in the Moon's Disk
  10. Chapter 3. A Multitude of Earths
  11. Chapter 4. To Complete the Analogy
  12. Chapter 5. Like a Distant View of Earth
  13. Chapter 6. Satellites and Seeing
  14. Chapter 7. Schiaparelli
  15. Chapter 8. The Art of Observing
  16. Chapter 9. Of Aperture and Atmosphere
  17. Chapter 10. Confirmations?
  18. Chapter 11. The Sensitive Eye
  19. Chapter 12. "The Most Brilliant Man in Boston"
  20. Chapter 13. The Visions of Sir Percival
  21. Chapter 14. A Stately Pleasure Dome
  22. Chapter 15. Apostates and Critics
  23. Chapter 16. Planets and Perception
  24. Notes
  25. Figure Credits
  26. Index
  27. About the Author
  28. Errata