The Origin of the Constellations
Who invented the constellations? The constellations that we use to group stars into visually associated groups have ancient origins and have been hugely influential throughout human history. This lecture looked at the appearance of the ancient constellations and show how it is possible to deduce from their appearance when and where the first constellation makers lived.
This leads to a curious historical puzzle since some famous commentators in the ancient world describe patterns of constellations that they could not have witnessed when and where they lived.
Professor John D. Barrow FRS has been a Professor of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge since 1999, carrying out research in mathematical physics, with special interest in cosmology, gravitation, particle physics and associated applied mathematics.
(from gresham.ac.uk)
| The Origin of the Constellations |
| Related Links |
| Stargazing: A Graphic Guide to the Heavens On a crystal-clear evening, on vacation perhaps, how often do we contemplate the night sky and promise to learn the stars and constellations? Somehow, we never get round to it. |
| Cosmos: A Personal Voyage It covered a wide range of scientific subjects including the origin of life and a perspective of our place in the universe. |
| Survey of Astronomy We'll explore the Sun, the planets, the many other objects found in the Solar System, stars and galaxies, dark matter, dark energy, the fate of the universe, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. |
| Cosmology During this course, you'll have the opportunity to study the cosmos from the modern perspective - what we know and what we're not sure about. |