The discussion revolves around recommendations for textbooks on celestial mechanics, with a focus on the balance between mathematical rigor and practical application. Participants express interest in both introductory and advanced texts, as well as specific topics such as Kepler orbits and Hamiltonian formalism.
Participants do not appear to reach a consensus on the importance of mathematical rigor versus practical application in celestial mechanics textbooks. Multiple competing views regarding the nature and focus of recommended texts remain evident.
Some participants note that the existing textbooks they are familiar with are challenging and somewhat outdated, indicating potential limitations in the availability of modern resources.
I want to see the mathematical derivation of things like why orbits around the sun are elliptical in Taylor book, thanks for the recommendations!ergospherical said:Are you sure you're after mathematical rigour? Abraham and Marsden's book Foundations of Mechanics contains a ridiculously abstract and mathematically-sophisticated exposition of celestial mechanics but it won't teach you much physics, or indeed how to solve many practical problems (!).