Astronomy, as it is Known at the Present Day: With an Account of the Nature and Use of Astronomical Instruments, the Manner of Calculating the Notes of the Calendar, the Distances and Magnitudes of the Planets, and a Number of Other Useful and Interesting Calculations in Astronomy |
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Astronomy, as It Is Known at the Present Day (Classic Reprint) George G. Carey No preview available - 2018 |
Common terms and phrases
altitude angle appear ascertained astronomers atmosphere Aurora Borealis axis calculations called centre circle clouds colours Comets constellation degrees density diameter direction disc discovered diurnal motion Dominical letter earth's orbit eccentric anomaly eclipse equal equator equinox fixed stars following figure glass globe gravity greater greatest heat heavenly bodies heavens height Hence Herschel horizon inferior conjunction Julius Cæsar Jupiter known latitude length light longitude luminous lunar magnitude mean distance Mercury meridian miles minutes moon moon's move nearly night object obliquity observed occasioned opposite parallax passing period phenomena philosophers poles produced Ptolemy quantity of matter rainbow rays refraction retrograde motion revolution round revolve right ascension rise round the earth round the sun satellites Saturn seen shadow shines sidereal solar spherical sun and moon sun's supposed surface telescope tides tion Tycho Tychonic systems Uranus velocity Venus visible
Popular passages
Page 110 - Sometime we see a cloud that's dragonish ; A vapour sometime like a bear or lion, A tower'd citadel, a pendent rock, A forked mountain, or blue promontory With trees upon't, that nod unto the world, And mock our eyes with air : thou hast seen these signs ; They are black vesper's pageants.
Page 100 - Meantime, refracted from yon eastern cloud, Bestriding earth, the grand ethereal bow Shoots up immense; and every hue unfolds, In fair proportion, running from the red To where the violet fades into the sky.
Page 130 - With light and heat refulgent. Then Thy sun Shoots full perfection through the swelling year: And oft Thy voice in dreadful thunder speaks : And oft...
Page 15 - These are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almighty ! thine this universal frame, Thus wondrous fair: thyself how wondrous then, Unspeakable ! who sitt'st above these heavens To us invisible, or dimly seen In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Page 23 - Had in her sober livery all things clad; Silence accompanied, for beast and bird, They to their grassy couch, these to their nests, Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale; She all night long her amorous descant* sung; Silence was pleased: now...
Page 16 - Hither, as to their fountain, other stars Repairing, in their golden urns draw light...
Page 116 - The rising vapours catch the silver light ; Thence fancy measures, as they parting fly, Which first will throw its shadow on the eye, Passing the source of light ; and thence away, Succeeded quick by brighter still than they.
Page 64 - ... a degree of brightness about as strong as that with which such a coal would be seen to glow in faint daylight.
Page 68 - Next glaring wat'ry thro' the Bull he moves; The am'rous Twins admit his genial ray ; Now burning, thro' the Crab he takes his way ; The Lion flaming, bears the solar power; The Virgin faints beneath the sultry shower. Now the just Balance weighs his equal force, The slimy Serpent swelters in his course; The sabled Archer clouds his languid face ; The Goat, with tempests, urges on his race.
Page 111 - Where, midst the changeful scenery, ever new, Fancy a thousand wondrous forms descries, More wildly great than ever pencil drew, Rocks, torrents, gulfs, and shapes of giant size, And glitt'ring cliffs on cliffs, and fiery ramparts, rise.