Astronomy

This work aims to present in concise form a popular synopsis of Astronomical Knowledge to date.

In Section I., Miss Agnes M. Clerke, author of “A Popular History of Astronomy during the Nineteenth Century,” gives a brief historical sketch of the science from Hipparchus to the present time. In Section II., an attempt is made by Mr. A. Fowler, A.R.C.S., F.R.A.S., Demonstrator of Astronomical Physics to the Royal College of Science, to briefly outline the general principles of spherical and gravitational Astronomy, and to describe the instrumental means now at the command of observers in the various branches of Astronomical research. The author begs to record his indebtedness to Loomis’ “Treatise on Astronomy,” and Young’s “General Astronomy,” which have been frequently consulted, especially for memorial data; to Mr. W. Shackleton, for assistance in proof-reading; and to Mr. C. P. Butter, for valuable help in preparing the diagrams. Section III., contributed by Miss Agnes M. Clerke, deals with the Solar System; and Section IV., written by Mr. J. Ellard Gore, F.R.A.S., M.R.I.A., treats of the Sidereal Heavens.

The work is illustrated by a large number of diagrams and other illustrations, prepared expressly for its pages, as well as by a number of photographic and other reproductions of photographs and drawings made by distinguished astronomers in Europe and America. In this connexion numerous acknowledgments are due.

The Editor begs to express his sense of indebtedness to the following astronomers and publishers, for kind permission to reproduce original photographs and drawings from their works:

To M. Loewy, Director de l’Observatoire, Paris, for permission to reproduce the photograph of the Moon, which forms the frontispiece of this volume; to Professor Edward S. Holden, Director of the Lick Observatory, for permission to reproduce drawings and photographs of the Observatory at Nice, p. 2; the Thirty-six Inch Reflector of Lick Observatory, p. 40; the Meridian Circle of the Paris Observatory, p. 203; the Spectroscope adapted to the eye end of the Lick Telescope, p. 221; and Jupiter showing the Red Spot, p. 322; to Dr. Isaac Roberts, for permission to reproduce his photograph of the photographic telescope used by him, p. 196; to Messrs. Trichnor & Co., of Berlin, for permission to reproduce two illustrations of Donati’s Comet, pp. 228 and 363; and one of Sun-spots and Magnetic Variations, p. 246—all from Langley’s “New Astronomy”; to Messrs. Witherby & Co., for permission to reproduce the photograph of a Sun-spot by Janssen, p. 243; the photograph of Jupiter, p. 328; the photographs of Swift’s Comet, pp. 374 and 375, Brooks’ Comet, p. 381, and the Milky Way, p. 557, from Knowledge; to Messrs. Taylor & Francis, for the diagram of curves showing the development of Sun-spots, p. 257; to Professor George E. Hale, of Kenwood Observatory, Chicago, for his illustrations of Eruptive Prominences photographed at Kenwood, March 24th, 1896, pp. 264 and 265, reproduced from the Astrophysical Journal; to the Council of the Royal Society, for the illustration of the Eclipsed Sun, p. 267, reproduced from “Philosophical Transactions”; to Professor Barnard, for the photographs of the Corona, reproduced on p. 269; and the drawings of the Transit of Jupiter’s Satellite, on p. 330, reproduced from the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; the Eye of Mars, p. 302; and of Saturn and his Rings, p. 335; to the editor of the Astronomische Nachrichten, for the map of Mercury, by Schiaparelli, reproduced on p. 276; to the editor of Nature, for the drawing of Venus by Mascari, on p. 280; to Messrs. George Philip & Son, for the map of the Moon, given on p. 291, from Fowler’s “Telescopic Astronomy”; to Messrs. Longman, Green & Co., for the Chart of Mars, p. 300, and the diagram of the Apparent Orbit of the Companion of Sirius, p. 439, from Proctor’s “Old and New Astronomy”; to Professor W. W. Payne of Goodsell Observatory, for the use of the drawing of the Oases of Mars, p. 304, from “Popular Astronomy”; and the photograph of Holmes’ Comet, p. 378, from the same work; to Messrs. A. & C. Black, for the illustrations of the Great Comet of September, 1882, p. 361, reproduced from Miss Clerke’s “History of Astronomy”; to Messrs. Crosby, Lockwood & Co., for permission to reproduce the illustration of the Nebula in Andromeda 31 Messier, p. 398, from the frontispiece of Mr. J. E. Gore’s “Visible Universe”; and also for the same authority, regarding the diagrams, showing the Stars visible in the Northern Hemisphere, p. 401; the Stars visible in the Southern Hemisphere, p. 403; the drawing showing the position of the Solar Apex, according to different computers, p. 429; and the photographs of the Spiral Nebula 51 Messier, p. 533; and the Milky Way in Sagittarius, p. 555, all from the same work; to Messrs. A. D. Innes & Co., for the use of the diagram, Apparent Orbit of Zeta Herculis, p. 436; Triple Stars, p. 451; and for permission to reproduce the photographs, 37 Messier, p. 505; the star cluster, Omega Centauri, p. 512; the Nebulæ of Orion, p. 521; and the Magellanic Clouds, p. 537, from “The Worlds of Space”; and to Messrs. Sutton & Co., for the use of the diagram of the Apparent Orbit of 70 Ophiuchi, p. 443; the photographs of the Double Cluster of Perseus, p. 503; the Star Cluster in Gemini, p. 504; the Star Cluster in Hercules, p. 507; and the drawing of the Trifid Nebula, Sagittarius, p. 525, from “The Scenery of the Heavens”; and the drawing of the Temporary Star of 1572, p. 481, from “Planetary and Stellar Studies,” both published by them.