Clifford J Cunningham Bücher

A fully up-to-date view of the remarkable cosmic objects, asteroids.

The discovery of Juno in 1804 by Karl Harding is intricately connected to Johann Bode's law of planetary distances and challenges Georg Hegel's 1801 thesis, which claimed no planets existed between Mars and Jupiter. This narrative highlights how, by 1804, the previously empty gap was populated by three celestial bodies: Ceres, Pallas, and Juno, illustrating the evolving understanding of planetary science in that era.

This book explores the origins of asteroids, focusing on the discovery of Vesta in 1807 by Wilhelm Olbers, who theorized they resulted from a primordial planet's explosion. Cunningham examines historical writings, the connection between meteorites and asteroids, and the controversies surrounding Vesta, offering a comprehensive study of asteroid origins.

The book provides a comprehensive examination of Pallas, detailing its journey from being recognized as a new planet to its reclassification within a newly identified category of celestial objects. Drawing from extensive primary sources, many newly translated into English, it features a wealth of correspondence and scientific papers, alongside excerpts from Schroeter's 1805 work. Cunningham's scholarly approach sheds light on the historical and scientific significance of Pallas in the study of asteroids.