Description:
The supernova of 1604 marks a major turning point in the cosmological crisis of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Capturing the eyes and imagination of Europe, it ignited an explosion of ideas that forever changed the face of science. Variously interpreted as a comet or star, the new luminary brought together a broad network of scholars who debated the nature of the novelty and its origins in the universe. At the heart of the interdisciplinary discourse was Johannes Kepler, whose book On the New Star (1606) assessed the many disputes of the day. Beginning with several studies about Kepler's book, the authors of the present volume explore the place of Kepler and the 'new star' in early modern culture and religion, and how contemporary debate shaped the course of science down to the present day.
Contributors are: (1) Dario Tessicini, (2) Christopher M. Graney, (3) Javier Luna, (4) Patrick J. Boner, (5) Jonathan Regier, (6) Aviva Rothman, (7) Miguel Á. Granada, (8) Pietro Daniel Omodeo, (9) Matteo Cosci, and (10) William P. Blair.
Review Quotes: "[...] this rich collection is an important contribution to understanding the undercurrents that shaped early modern pre-telescopic astronomy. Bringing together questions relating to astronomical measurements, theories of astrological influences, metaphysical speculations, and the broader social and cultural contexts of early modern science will undoubtedly open new venues for historiographical research." - Raz Chen-Morris, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in: Journal for the History of Astronomy 2023, Vol. 54(3) 360-62
"Ten contributing authors (including Boner) explore topics such as the astrological implications of Kepler's discovery, the nature of stars (e.g., scintillation caused by crystalline structure), correspondence among Italian scientists indicating how ideas about new celestial discoveries were exchanged and debated, and in the concluding chapter the scientific legacy of Kepler's supernova. With its extensive footnotes, 25-page bibliography, and indexes of persons and places, this volume is for experts and mature astronomy enthusiasts." - M.-K. Hemenway, (formerly) University of Texas at Austin, in: CHOICE, April 2022, Vol. 59, No. 8