Review by Choice Review
Sky maps appear in two ways: as a chart of the sky showing the positions of the stars and planets, and as a diagram of the arrangement of the solar and stellar systems featuring the orbits of the planets. Kanas (Univ. of California, San Francisco) covers both kinds thoroughly, starting with the charts of the ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Chinese, and proceeding through the classical, Islamic, medieval, and later periods. The book is profusely illustrated, with some charts in color. It includes mapping of the 48 constellations that were listed by Ptolemy in classic times and are still retained, plus 40 others of more modern origin that lie at the interstices between the brighter ones and the deep southern sky, unavailable in ancient times. In addition to the portrayal of the constellations, Kanas charts the sky models of the classical, medieval, and modern arrangements of the solar and stellar systems throughout recorded history, and their rationales. Because this volume covers much of astronomy before the physics of Newton and others, it is well recommended for most libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. A. R. Upgren emeritus, Wesleyan University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
