Astronomy with an opera-glass: a popular introduction to the study of the starry heavens with the simplest of optical instruments, with maps and directions to facilitate the recognition of the constellations and the principal stars, visible to the naked eye

Garrett Putman Serviss

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• Astronomy

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• Publié par: les_archives_du_savoir
• Nombre de lectures: 5
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 11 Mo

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COPYEIGHT, 1888, AND COMPANY.By D APPLETON i^ll% ^5 5.J7 TO THE EEADER that follow, the author has endeavoredIn the pages to encourage the study of the heavenly bodies by pointing out some of the interesting and marvelous phenomena of the uni- verse that are visible with little or no assistance from optical instruments, and indicating means of becoming acquainted and thewith the constellations planets." />

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WITH AN OPEEA-GLASS
A POPULAR INTRODUCTION TO THE
STUDY OF THE STARRY HEAVENS WITH THE
SIMPLEST OF OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
WITH MAPS AND DIRECTIONS TO FACILITATE THE RECOGNITION
OF THE CONSTELLATIONS AND THE PRINCIPAL STARS
VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE
BY
GARRETT P. SERVISS
Known are their laws in harmony unroll
;
The nineteen-orbed cycles of the Moon.
all which Night whirls her carAnd the signs through
From belted Orion back to Orion and his dauntless Hound,
And all Poseidon's, all high Zeus' stars
true man."Bear on their beams messages to
Poste's Aratus.
THIRD EDITION
YORKNEW
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
London : Caxton House, Paternoster Square
1890•>
COPYEIGHT, 1888,
AND COMPANY.By D APPLETON
i^ll%
^5
5.J7TO THE EEADER
that follow, the author has endeavoredIn the pages to
encourage the study of the heavenly bodies by pointing out
some of the interesting and marvelous phenomena of the uni-
verse that are visible with little or no assistance from optical
instruments, and indicating means of becoming acquainted
and thewith the constellations planets. Knowing that an
opera-glass iiS capable of Tevealins: some of the most beautiful
sights in the starry dome, and believing that many persons
the fact, he work with such anwould be glad to iearn set to
instrument and surveyed all the constellations visible in the
latitude of New York, carefully noting everything that it
might interest amateur star-gazers. All the objectsseemed
thus observed have not been included in this book, lest the
multiplicity of details should deter or discourage the very
for whom it was specially written.readers On the other
hand, there is nothing described as visible with an opera-glass
whichor a field-glass the author has not seen with an instru-
ment of that description, and which any person possessing eye-
sight of average quality and a competent glass should not be
able to discern.
But, in order to lend placedue interest to the subject, and
it before the reader in a proper light and true perspective,
many facts have been stated concerning the objects described,
the ascertainment of powerfulwhich has required the aid of
telescopes, and to observers with such instruments is reserved
the noble pleasure of confirming with their own eyes thoseTO THE READER.
iy
looker with andiscoveries which the opera-glasswonderful
behold unless, happily, he should be spurredcan not hope to
the possession of a telescope. Yet even to glimpsedimlyon to
what a closer viewthese distant wonders, knowing would re-
mean satisfaction, while the celestialveal, is a source of no
phenomena that lie easily within reach of an opera-glass are
sufficient to furnish delight and instruction for many an
evening.
It should be said that the division of the stars used in this
'' *' '^book into the Stars of Spring," Stars of Summer," Stars
'^Autumn," and Stars of Winter," is purely arbitrary,of and
intended only to indicate the seasons when certain constella-
tions are best situated for observation or most conspicuous.
The greater part of the matter composing this volume ap-
peared originally in a series of articles contributed by the au-
thor ''The 1887-'88.to Popular Science Monthly" in The
reception that those articles met with encouraged him to re-
vise and enlarge them for publication in the more permanent
form of book.a
G. P. S.
Brooklyn, N. Y., September, 1S88.