A Compendium of Astronomy: Intended to Simplify and Illustrate the Principles of the Science, and Give a Concise View of the Motions and Aspects of the Great Heavenly Luminaries ; Adapted to the Use of Common Schools, as Well as Higher Seminaries |
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Page 37
The horizon is a great circle surrounding the Earth , ninety degrees distant from
the zenith and nadir of any place . The plane of this circle , passing through the
centre of the Earth , divides it into upper and lower hemispheres . This is called
the ...
The horizon is a great circle surrounding the Earth , ninety degrees distant from
the zenith and nadir of any place . The plane of this circle , passing through the
centre of the Earth , divides it into upper and lower hemispheres . This is called
the ...
Page 41
oblique to the horizon ; but forming angles with it less as they are farther from the
equator ; till , at the poles , they become parallel to the horizon , or coincide with
that circle . To a person passing from the equator towards either pole , the pole ...
oblique to the horizon ; but forming angles with it less as they are farther from the
equator ; till , at the poles , they become parallel to the horizon , or coincide with
that circle . To a person passing from the equator towards either pole , the pole ...
Page 56
It is a singular phenomenon , that the Sun or Moon near the horizon , appears
larger than when seen in the meridian . It is the more singular , as the disk of
either , particularly the Moon , must , by calculation , subtend at the Earth an
angle ...
It is a singular phenomenon , that the Sun or Moon near the horizon , appears
larger than when seen in the meridian . It is the more singular , as the disk of
either , particularly the Moon , must , by calculation , subtend at the Earth an
angle ...
Page 98
At any place in north latitude , the angle between the horizon and the Moon's
orbit is less , at that season of the year , about the time of sunset , than at any
other time of the day . The full Moon , about the autumnal equinox , being in that
part of ...
At any place in north latitude , the angle between the horizon and the Moon's
orbit is less , at that season of the year , about the time of sunset , than at any
other time of the day . The full Moon , about the autumnal equinox , being in that
part of ...
Page 154
be seen by us when it is below the horizon ? What effect has cold on the
refracting power of the air ? What curious circumstance is related by Mr.
Ferguson ? What excess of the day over the night , is it computed , refraction
gives in latitude 43 ° ...
be seen by us when it is below the horizon ? What effect has cold on the
refracting power of the air ? What curious circumstance is related by Mr.
Ferguson ? What excess of the day over the night , is it computed , refraction
gives in latitude 43 ° ...
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Common terms and phrases
according ancient angle aphelion appear astronomers atmosphere attraction authors axis begins called cause centre century circle clock comets commence common computed conjunction considered continued dark declination diameter direction discovered disk distance Earth east eclipses elevated equal equator equinox figure force four given globe greatest half heat heavenly body heavens hemisphere Herschel horizon hour inclination inhabitants Jupiter known latitude less letter light longitude luminous lunar magnitude Mars mean Mercury meridian miles month Moon Moon's motion move nearly night node object obliquity observed opposite orbit parallax passing period planets Plate poles position present rays refraction represented respecting revolution revolve ring rising rotation round satellites Saturn seasons seconds seen shadow side slow solar stars Sun's supposed surface tides tion true turned United Venus visible whole
Popular passages
Page 158 - our astronomical observer" at a salary of £100 per annum, his duty being "forthwith to apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying the tables of the motions of the heavens and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places for the perfecting the art of navigation.
Page 171 - I was called up," says Mr. Ellicou, " about 3 o'clock in the morning, to see the shooting stars, as they are called. The phenomenon was grand and awful. The whole heavens appeared as if illuminated with skyrockets, which disappeared only by the light of the sun, after daybreak. The meteors, which at any one instant of time, appeared as numerous as the stars, flew in all possible directions...
Page 160 - ... that, situated as we are in this western hemisphere, more than three thousand miles from any fixed or known meridian, it would be proper, in a national point of view to establish a first meridian for ourselves ; and that measures should be taken for the eventual establishment of such a meridian in the United States. In examining the maps and charts of the United States, and the particular states, or their sea coasts, which have been published in this country, the committee find, that the publishers...
Page 130 - AG F E D CB A G F ED C B A 1100 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24...
Page 126 - Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November, All the rest have thirty-one Excepting February alone : Which hath but twenty-eight, in fine, Till leap year gives it twenty-nine.
Page 149 - That the milky way is a most extensive stratum of stars of various sizes admits no longer of the least doubt; and that our sun is actually one of the heavenly bodies belonging to it is as evident.
Page 170 - Towards the morning of the 13th of November, 1799, we witnessed a most extraordinary scene of shooting meteors. Thousands of bodies and falling stars succeeded each other during four hours. Their direction was very regular from north to south. From the beginning of the phenomenon there was not a space in the firmament equal in extent to three diameters of the moon which was not filled every instant with bodies or falling stars. All the meteors left luminous traces or phosphorescent bands behind them,...
Page 53 - Huge massess of rock rise at once from the plains, and raise their peaked summits to an immense height in the air, while projecting crags spring from their rugged flanks and threatening the valleys below, seem to bid defiance to the laws of gravitation. Around the base of these frightful eminences are strewed numerous loose and unconnected fragments, which time seems to have detached from their parent mass ; and when we examine the rents and ravines which accompany the over.hanging cliffs, we expect...
Page 83 - The atmosphere is known to abound with electric matter, and the appearance of the electric matter in vacuo is exactly like the appearance of the aurora borealis, which, from its great altitude, may be considered to be in as perfect a vacuum as we can make. The electric matter in vacuo suffers the rays of light to pass through, without being affected by them. The tail of a comet does not expand itself sideways, nor does the electric matter. Hence, he supposes the tails of comets, the aurora borealis,...
Page 72 - ... the heavens that presents us with such a variety of extraordinary phenomena as the planet Saturn : a magnificent globe, encompassed by a stupendous double ring : attended by seven satellites : ornamented with equatorial belts : compressed at the poles : turning...
Bibliographic information
| Title | A Compendium of Astronomy: Intended to Simplify and Illustrate the Principles of the Science, and Give a Concise View of the Motions and Aspects of the Great Heavenly Luminaries ; Adapted to the Use of Common Schools, as Well as Higher Seminaries |
| Author | John Vose |
| Publisher | Carter, Hendee & Company, 1834 |
| Original from | Harvard University |
| Digitized | 8 Mar 2007 |
| Length | 184 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |