Explores the lives and accomplishments of the scholars and laymen whose discoveries created the foundation for our understanding of the universe Theoretical astrophysicist Rocky Kolb presents a popular history of astronomy and scientific cosmology from Tycho Brahe to the second half of the 20th century. In a style touched with humor and honed through numerous lectures to audiences ranging from third graders to Ph.Ds, Kolb introduces the pantheon of cosmologists, while offering a wonderfully proportional rendering of science and biographical sketches. Writing with lively enthusiasm and frequent leavenings of humor, theoretical astrophysicist Kolb presents a popular history of astronomy and scientific cosmology from Tycho Brahe to the second half of the 20th century. At a few points in the discussion of earlier historical periods, his interpretation might cause the eyebrows of professional historians of science to raise just a little. However, he conveys the gist of important developments well enough to give general readers an accurate impression of the progress of astronomy in the last 400 years, and he is on firmer ground when he gets to the late 20th century. Recommended for most public and academic libraries.?Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Fermilab physicist Kolb introduces the pantheon of cosmologists for readers unaware of its membership and for the jaded set who have covered the story of Galileo et al. in dozens of popular treatments, thanks to Kolb's bright style and flashing humor. His style has been honed by lecturing to audiences ranging from third graders to Ph.D.s and here lends itself to a wonderfully proportioned rendering of science and biographical sketches. His narrative of the life of Kepler, who came from the original dysfunctional family, elicits numerous chuckles, then slips easily into his achievement of calculating orbits according to the heliocentric model. But as with every one of the greats Kolb portrays, Tycho through Hubble, Kepler's model was "blind" in some respect, leaving its refinement or overthrow to some future genius with his own human predilections, which accounts for a scientific process of jumps in knowledge rather than smooth progress toward the present big bang conception of the universe. Copious illustrations buttress this elucidating matrix of matter. Gilbert Taylor Copious illustrations buttress this elucidating matrix of matter. -- Booklist How did the human species learn astronomical facts taken for granted today? This provides a blend of science and history which focuses on the development of astronomical insights through the ages. Where others provide science or history alone, this examines the process of how historical discoveries are made. -- Midwest Book Review Rocky Kolb is founding head of the NASA/Fermilab Theoretical Astrophysics Group and a University of Chicago professor.