Description
We will undertake a time travel from 300 BCE to the 20th century following the sometimes meandering course to discover our place within the universe. Starting with the astonishing insights of Hellenistic Greece, followed by the Roman and Byzantine cultures, the western “Dark Ages”, the Mayan civilization, the Islamic Golden Age, the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, we will conclude with a review of the 19th century’s advances culminating with the early 20th century’s breakthroughs. We will endeavor to understand the relentless expansion of our perception about the cosmos, from the constrained Aristotelian view to its Edwin Hubble initiated immensity. The philosophical, cultural, religious and teleological factors influencing and shaping this more than two millennia long quest will be examined. Who were the greatest contributors and the most notorious detractors of advances in astronomy? The crucial contributions of women astronomers, often obstructed by established barriers, will be acknowledged. We will also treat the questionable, but important role, played by astrology throughout the ages. Numerous visuals to complement the relevant science, methods and chronology will enlighten and enliven the course.
Pedro Lilienfeld is an electronics engineer and applied physicist with a life-long interest in Astronomy and Cosmology who became an amateur astronomer at age 15. He is a graduate of a special course in Astronomy under UNESCO auspices. He is presently a consultant and was Principal Science Advisor at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Franklin, MA.
PLEASE NOTE: This class now starts on 10/9.
