Kepler (Dover Books on Astronomy)

New York: Dover Publications, 1993. Book. Good. Soft cover. 2nd. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Good softcover. a light dampstain top edge not affecting text. 441pp including index. A towering figure in intellectual history and one of the fathers of modern astronomy, the great mathematician Johannes Kepler (15711630) is best known for his discovery of the three laws of planetary motion, which paved the way for a dynamic explanation of the heavenly phenomena. At a time when the Ptolemaic view still prevailed in official circles, Kepler undertook to prove the truth of the Copernican world view and through exceptional perseverance and force of intellect achieved that goal. His epochal intellectual feats are completely and thoroughly described in this splendid work, considered the definitive biography of Kepler. Drawing on a wealth of primary sources, the author presents a fascinating and erudite picture of Kepler's scientific accomplishments, his public life (work with Tycho Brahe, the Danish astronomer; mathematical appointments at Graz, Prague, and Linz; pioneering work with calculus and optics, and more) and his personal life: childhood and youth, financial situation,.