Email sent out today

Just for reference, here is the email I sent out today:

I've posted to the google docs site (login: pls30411@gmail.com; pass: sciencetwo) the two readings from Galileo.

You should read the Two World Systems first. This work was published in 1632 (20 years after he promised a work on the Copernican system), and led to his trial and condemnation -- we'll be looking into the details of the various hearings and trials (which started as early as 1614) straight after Fall Break.

The chapter in Cohen, together with the Supplements, concerns the Two New Sciences, written in the 1630s and published in 1638, all while under house arrest. (It is up to you whether you want to tackle the primary reading first or the Cohen).

You also received some readings from Two New Sciences with the pendulum lab. Over Fall Break, I'd like you to write up your lab and provide brief answers to the questions. You'll need the extra readings to do so, which should make sense once you've worked through the material for class on Wednesday. I'll collect the written-up labs one week *after* we return from Break (in the second Monday class).

Office hours this week will be on Wednesday, 12:30-2:00. Several people have astrolabe questions; from 1 o'clock, I'll offer some tips on the worksheet, and redemonstrate the instrument for anyone who is having difficulty. We'll meet in the same place that we did the planets today. On Question 4: some have pointed out that it is difficult to measure the Library. You can measure any building on campus that is convenient. Note that you have to be able to pace off on the ground from the point *directly beneath* the high point on the building that you are sighting -- that in itself is difficult to do for the Library.