Celestial sceneryE.C. Biddle, 1840 |
Common terms and phrases
angle apparent magnitudes apparent motions appear arrangements astronomers atmosphere axis belts bodies bright celestial centre Ceres conjunction Creator crescent dark degrees diameter direction disk displayed distance diurnal diurnal motion diurnal rotation diversified Divine earth eclipses elevation enlightened hemisphere exhibit existence firmament fixed stars globe greater half moon heavens Herschel horizon hundred immense inferior conjunction inferior planets inhabitants intelligence Juno Jupiter larger light likewise luminary luminous lunar magnificent magnitude Mars Mercury meridian millions of miles minutes moon's mountains move nearly never objects observations opposite orbit Pallas parallax perceived period phenomena planet planetary system portion position present proportion regions represented revolution round revolve right ascension rings rotation satel satellites Saturn scene scenery seen shadow side solar solar system sometimes space splendour spots square miles sun's superior planets suppose surface telescope thousand miles tion Uranus variety Venus Vesta visible wisdom
Popular passages
Page 337 - In accordance with this sentiment, we find the inspired •writers, when speaking in the name of Jehovah, admitting the validity of such reasoning. " Thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens ; God himself that formed the earth and made it : he hath established it ; HE CREATED IT NOT IN VAIN ; HE FORMED IT TO BE INHABITED. I am Jehovah, and there is none else."* Here
Page 98 - which exhibit the celestial motions by wheelwork. There is a small instrument, called a Tellurian, which has been long manufactured by Messrs. Jones, Holborn, London, which conveys a pretty clear idea of the motions and phases of the moon, the inclination of the earth's axis to the plane of its orbit, and the changes of the seasons. It may be procured at different prices, from
Page 20 - of the arrangements of Infinite Wisdom. It would tend to lessen our ideas of the intelligence of that adorable Being who is ** wonderful in counsel and excellent in working," who " established the world by his wisdom, and stretched out the heavens by his understanding, 1
Page 116 - XLI. and XLII. These white spots have been conjectured to be snow, as they disappear when they have been long exposed to the sun, and are greatest when just emerging from the long night of the polar winter in that planet. This is the opinion of Sir W. Herschel, in his paper on this subject in the Philosophical Transactions. "In the year
Page 210 - its magnitude, in its energy, in its boundless influence, and its beneficial effects on this earth and on surrounding worlds, there is a more bright display of Divine perfection than in any other material being with which we are acquainted : "Great source of day ! best image here below Of thy Creator ! ever pouring wide From world to world, the vital ocean round, On Nature write, with every beam, his praise.
Page 362 - been stated, it appears that the Divine Goodness is of so communicative a nature that it seems to delight in conferring existence and happiness on every order of perceptive beings, and, therefore, has left no part
Page 225 - part of its longest diameter. The moon is, therefore, at different distances from the earth in different parts of her orbit. When at the greatest distance from the earth, she is said to be in her apogee; when at the least distance, in her perigee. The nearer the moon is to the periods
Page 140 - dreadful rumbling, like the beating of a drum. In the whole district there was heard a hissing noise like that of a stone discharged from a sling, and a great many mineral masses, exactly similar to those distinguished by the name of meteor stones, were
Page 229 - a mighty rampart. These annular ridges and plains are of all dimensions, from a mile to forty or fifty miles in diameter, and are to be seen in great numbers over every region of the moon's surface. The mountains which form these ridges are of different elevations, from one-fifth of a mile to
Page 124 - of the Whale that the planet Juno was discovered by M. Harding. With the view, therefore, of detecting other fragments, if any should exist, Dr. Olbers examined, three times every year, all the small stars in the opposite constellations of Virgo and the Whale, and in the constellation