مراقبو النجوم: تاريخ الاكتشاف في سماء الليل

Joan Baker, in her book “Starwatchers: A History of Discovery in the Night Sky” (https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/starwatchers-9781526608055/)), published by Bloomsbury, explores the secrets of the “mechanisms” of the universe, in a thoughtful blend of science and history. The pages of the book are not without troubling warnings about what humans are doing to space in our time, as Baker describes it as today being exploited as “a mere playground,” or in the worst case scenario, “as a battlefield, plundered without mercy, and its shared cultural value for everyone on Earth ignored.” In this unique blend of science and culture, astrophysicist and former author Joan Becker charts the global history of humanity's relationship with the cosmos. Beginning with the nearby Moon, then moving across the solar system to the stars and beyond, they reveal a rich mosaic of stories and research that highlights the importance of celestial bodies in our daily lives. It is a history that transcends borders and cultural traditions, taking us from the moon cult of Mesopotamia to the science fiction of H.G. Wells and the discovery of black holes. Drawing on her personal quest to understand the universe as more than just an abstract mathematician, Baker also includes her own startling personal experiences—from witnessing a total solar eclipse in Idaho to visiting an ancient observatory in Samarkand. Stargazers invites readers on an extraordinary journey through space that explores the limits of our earthly existence and encourages us to reflect on how we project meaning onto the sky.