Astronomia nova

Astronomia nova (English: New Astronomy)
AuthorJohannes Kepler
Original titleAstronomia Nova ΑΙΤΙΟΛΟΓΗΤΟΣ seu physica coelestis, tradita commentariis de motibus stellae Martis ex observationibus G.V. Tychonis Brahe (New Astronomy, reasoned from Causes, or Celestial Physics, Treated by Means of Commentaries on the Motions of the Star Mars, from the Observations of the noble Tycho Brahe)
LanguageLatin
Subjectastronomy

Astronomia nova (English: New Astronomy, full title in original Latin: Astronomia Nova ΑΙΤΙΟΛΟΓΗΤΟΣ seu physica coelestis, tradita commentariis de motibus stellae Martis ex observationibus G.V. Tychonis Brahe)[1][2] is a book, published in 1609, that contains the results of the astronomer Johannes Kepler's ten-year-long investigation of the motion of Mars.

One of the most significant books in the history of astronomy, the Astronomia nova provided strong arguments for heliocentrism and contributed valuable insight into the movement of the planets. This included the first mention of the planets' elliptical paths and the change of their movement to the movement of free floating bodies as opposed to objects on rotating spheres. It is recognized as one of the most important works of the Scientific Revolution.[3]

  1. ^ Greek, αἰτιολογητός can be translated as "explained, justified" (from αἰτιολογῶ "I explain, I justify"), but it also combines two roots αιτία "cause" and λόγος "reason". Kepler's concern with causes, as clearly shown in the book, indicates that he intended something more specific in the title than a generic 'justified' or 'explained', thus the title Astronomia Nova ΑΙΤΙΟΛΟΓΗΤΟΣ can be understood as "New astronomy based on causes" or "reasoned from causes".
  2. ^ Here G.V. is a siglum for "Generositas Vestra", see Winiarczyk, Marek (1995). Sigla Latina in libris impressis occurrentia: cum siglorum graecorum appendice (2nd ed.). OCLC 168613439.
  3. ^ Voelkel, James R. (2001). The composition of Kepler's Astronomia nova. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 1. ISBN 0-691-00738-1.