This is a book review of The Enchantment of Urania: 25 Centuries of Exploration of the Sky by Massimo Capaccioli.
The Enchantement of Urania: 25 Centuries of Exploration of the Sky, by Massimo Capaccioli (World Scientific), 2024. Pp. 573, 23.7 x 15.7 cm. Price £135 (hardbound, ISBN 978 981 124 777 4).
This is a history of astronomy, but different from others which I have read, for several reasons. Although the topics covered in the nineteen chapters are more or less what one might expect (with a slight preference for observation and instrumentation over theory), the fact that the chapters are the only division (no parts, subchapters, sections, _etc._) reinforces the similarity of the narrative to myth (in a positive sense). While it is a history of (mostly Western) astronomy, political and other details of the corresponding times are also mentioned to provide context. The book is full of delightful excursions. It is both a good introduction to the history of astronomy for someone who knows little or nothing about that field, but also an enjoyable read for those who know considerably more.