Description

PUBLICATION DETAILS: Published for The Burndy Library by the Burndy Library History of Science and Technology and the Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC 1978. Paperback 95 pages, illustrated. This is a translation of the original 1606 edition.

DESCRIPTION: The translation of Galileo’s work is preceded by 25 pages with several illustrations of the “Sector”. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), the famous Italian astronomer, created his own improved design for a military compass sector between1595-1598. He manufactured over 100 copies and even trained students in their effective use. This ingenious sector device enabled a revolution in mathematics, science and technology during the Renaissance era. During the 15th and 16th centuries, mathematicians were in search of tools to mechanize complex calculations.

Trigonometric tables had been developed for sine, tangent and secant functions. Logarithms had been discovered. But operations like long multiplication, division, square roots, cube roots, exponents and trig functions still required laborious manual methods. A device was needed to accelerate these important mathematical operations that would enable advances in astronomy, navigation, architecture, warfare and more. The sector would meet this need and transform Renaissance science and technology Source: History Tools).

DRAKE: Stillman Drake (1910-1993),[1] an American historian of science who moved to Canada in 1967 and acquired Canadian citizenship a few years later, is best known for his work on Galileo Galilei (1569–1642).Including his translations, Drake wrote 16 books on Galileo and contributed to 15 others.

CONDITION: Clean and unmarked.
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