MANUAL OF ASTRONOMY & THE USE


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.










A Manual of Astronomy and the Use of the Globes


Book Description

Excerpt from A Manual of Astronomy and the Use of the Globes: For Schools and Academies Most of our Elementary Astronomies pay little or no attention to the use of the artificial globes. The schools are generally sup plied with globes, which, for the want of a manual on the subject, serve only to adorn the school-room. The pupil is, by this means, deprived of one of the best means of illustrating the subject, as well as of much practical information, which the use of the globe would indelibly impress upon his mind. This deficiency the author has endeavored to supply, by the second part of the work, which may, without difficulty, be studied in connection with the first. This portion of the work has been made more extensive than is gener ally found ia elementary treatises, without comprehending what could only be expected in a treatise of a higher character. Another motive has also induced the preparation of this work. The author has seen, with regret, that many persons, at the present time, appear to regard this science as unimportant or unsuitable to our Common Schools. Without entering into any argument to show the contrary, it will suffice to say, that a science whose pro gress is the peculiar glory of modern times, -which, in an important manner, illustrates geography, - which is necessary to the navigator, - which teaches the true character and position of our own world, as well as the character of the universe, of which it forms a part, and which imparts to the mind of the student, a true and sublime idea of the character and power of the Almighty Creator thereof, can scarcely be less important than the science which teaches locali ties on the earth, or associates with them the memory of the follies, the vices, and the wars of mankind. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.







Globes


Book Description

The concept of the earth as a sphere has been around for centuries, emerging around the time of Pythagoras in the sixth century BC, and eventually becoming dominant as other thinkers of the ancient world, including Plato and Aristotle, accepted the idea. The first record of an actual globe being made is found in verse, written by the poet Aratus of Soli, who describes a celestial sphere of the stars by Greek astronomer Eudoxus of Cnidus (ca. 408–355 BC). The oldest surviving globe—a celestial globe held up by Atlas’s shoulders—dates back to 150 AD, but in the West, globes were not made again for about a thousand years. It was not until the fifteenth century that terrestrial globes gained importance, culminating when German geographer Martin Behaim created what is thought to be the oldest surviving terrestrial globe. In Globes: 400 Years of Exploration, Navigation, and Power, Sylvia Sumira, beginning with Behaim’s globe, offers a authoritative and striking illustrated history of the subsequent four hundred years of globe making. Showcasing the impressive collection of globes held by the British Library, Sumira traces the inception and progression of globes during the period in which they were most widely used—from the late fifteenth century to the late nineteenth century—shedding light on their purpose, function, influence, and manufacture, as well as the cartographers, printers, and instrument makers who created them. She takes readers on a chronological journey around the world to examine a wide variety of globes, from those of the Renaissance that demonstrated a renewed interest in classical thinkers; to those of James Wilson, the first successful commercial globe maker in America; to those mass-produced in Boston and New York beginning in the 1800s. Along the way, Sumira not only details the historical significance of each globe, but also pays special attention to their materials and methods of manufacture and how these evolved over the centuries. A stunning and accessible guide to one of the great tools of human exploration, Globes will appeal to historians, collectors, and anyone who has ever examined this classroom accessory and wondered when, why, and how they came to be made.




Manual of Astronomy


Book Description