The Illustrated London Astronomy for the Use of Schools and StudentsIngram, Cooke, and Company, 1853 - 99 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
annular aphelion apparent diameter apparent motion appear astronomers atmosphere axis black spot bright called centre circle colour comets constellation course dark direction Earth and Sun Earth's atmosphere Earth's surface ecliptic equator equinox figure fixed stars globe greater greatest heavenly bodies heavens hemisphere Herschel horizon inclined inferior conjunction inferior planet interval Jupiter latitude less light longitude luminary luminous lunar magnitude Mars mean distance Mercury meridian millions of miles Moon Moon's moving naked eye nearest nearly nebula Neptune night node observed occupied opposite orbit parallax passes perihelion planetary position present rays refraction remarked revolution round revolve right ascension ring rotation round the Sun satellite Saturn seen semidiameter shadow shew Sidereal period signs solar space Sun and Moon Sun's disc superior conjunction superior planet supposed synodical revolution telescope termed tides tion transits of Venus Uranus Ursa Ursa Major velocity visible WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY zenith zodiacal
Popular passages
Page 13 - It has been found that, with respect to any two planets, the squares of the times of revolution are to each other in the same proportion as the cubes of their mean distances, — a most surprising result, for the discovery of which the world was indebted to the illustrious Kepler. Sir John Herschel truly observes...
Page 79 - Their names are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces; the whole occupying a complete circle, or broad belt, in the heavens, called the Zodiac.
Page 91 - These phenomena agree with the supposition that the stars of our firmament, instead of being scattered in all directions indifferently through space, form a stratum, of which the thickness is small, in comparison with its length and breadth ; and in which the earth occupies a place somewhere about the middle of its thickness, and near the point where it subdivides into two principal laminae, inclined at a small angle to each other.
Page 40 - They are opaque bodies like the earth, and shine by reflecting the light they receive from the sun. 5. They revolve upon their axes in the same way as the earth. This we know by telescopic observation to be the case with many planets, and by analogy the rule may be extended to all. Hence they will have the alternation of day and night like the inhabitants of the earth ; but their days are of different lengths from our own.