It might be said that the order the book follows might contribute to see the chronological order of events and Astronomers. It might also help organization from the point of view of the reader because of the way it is distributed.
In Great Astronomers, Ball orders the chapters beginning with one of the earliest astronomers, Ptolemy. This ancient astronomer was the first to propose the theory that other bodies in space revolve around Earth. The theory was the basis of astronomy for 1,400 years. Ball takes a historical approach to show how a flawed theory was considered true for such a long period. This chronological approach is suited to the purpose of educating the people of his time about advances in astronomy. By organizing the book in this way, Ball shows the reader how advances in astronomy evolved over time based on the discoveries of each new astronomer. Such an organization helps the reader understand the text and its purpose.
