The History of a Science Hidden in Astronomy Code

Explore the fascinating evolution of astronomical understanding through the lens of modern astronomy software in this 50-minute conference talk by Brandon Rhodes at code::dive 2023. Trace the historical journey from ancient stargazers to contemporary space exploration, examining how advancements in scientific theories and instruments have shaped the precision computations used today. Discover how the Skyfield astronomy library incorporates centuries of scientific breakthroughs, from Copernicus to Einstein, enabling accurate calculations for satellite orbits and planetary landings. Gain insights into the speaker's expertise in Python, astronomy, and software development, including his work on PyEphem and Skyfield libraries, as well as his contributions to programming patterns and best practices.