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The Sun in the Church
Cathedrals as Solar Observatories
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See moreBetween 1650 and 1750, four Catholic churches were the best solar observatories in the world. The Sun in the Church tells how these observatories came to be, how they worked, and what they accomplished. It describes Galileo's political overreaching, his subsequent trial for heresy, and his rehabilitation in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year, 1999.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
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Description
Between 1650 and 1750, four Catholic churches were the best solar observatories in the world. Built to fix an unquestionable date for Easter, these churches also housed instruments that shed light on the disputed geometry of the solar system, and thus, within sight of the altar, subverted Church doctrine about the order of the universe.
A tale of politically canny astronomers and cardinals with a taste for mathematics, The Sun in the Church tells how these observatories came to be, how they worked, and what they accomplished. It describes Galileo's political overreaching, his subsequent trial for heresy, and his slow and steady rehabilitation in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
The book offers an enlightening perspective on astronomy, Church history, and religious architecture, as well as an analysis of measurements testing the limits of attainable accuracy, undertaken with rudimentary means and extraordinary zeal. Above all, it illuminates the niches protected and financed by the Catholic Church in which science and mathematics thrived.
Superbly written, The Sun in the Church provides a magnificent corrective to long-standing oversimplified accounts of the hostility between science and religion.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
J. L. Heilbron's The Sun in the Church explores the unexpected role of cathedrals as solar observatories, challenging common perceptions of the Catholic Church's relationship with science during the scientific revolution. The book explains how the Church became a major patron of astronomy, using its cathedrals to conduct precise solar observations, primarily to improve the accuracy of the ecclesiastical calendar. With a richly detailed narrative, Heilbron illustrates the interplay between science, architecture, and religion, providing new insights into the Church's nuanced engagement with scientific progress after Galileo's condemnation.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780674005365
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 02 April 2001
Country: United States
Imprint: Harvard University Press
Illustration: 8 color illustrations in an 8 page insert, 43 halftones, 75 geometric line illustrations, 12 digital line illustrations, 15 tables
Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 28.0mm
Width: 171.0mm
Height: 248.0mm
Weight: 771g
Pages: 384
About the Author
J. L. Heilbron, formerly Professor of History and the Vice Chancellor at the University of California, Berkeley, is a Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, University of Oxford. He was awarded the George Sarton Medal by the History of Science Society in 1993 for his contributions to the field.
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