Smith's Illustrated astronomy, designed for the use of the public or common schools in the United States ...

Front matter

Glass.

Book.

THE EDWIN C. DINWIDDIE

Preface

TO THE REVISED EDITION.

Nearly six yeare have elapsed since the publication of this Illustrated Astronomy ; during this time many new planets or Asteroids have been discovered ; a notice of which will be found in its proper place ; also a notice of Professor Bond's new theory in regard to Saturn's rings.

The favor with which this work has been received by teachers and the public generally has far exceeded the author's expectations, it having run through fifteen Editions since its publication. It has been thoroughly revised, and the new discoveries are brought up tothe present date; five new illustrations have been added and a new set of Electrotype plates have been procured at a great expense, which give a very distinct and beautiful diagram.

It has been the object of the author of this Illustrated Astronomy, to present all the distinguishing principles in physical Astronomy with as few words as possible ; but with such occular demonstrations, by way of diagrams and maps, as shall make the subject easily understood. The letter press descriptions and the illustrations will invariably be found at the same opening of the book ; and more explanatory cuts are given, and at a much less price than have been given in any other elementary Astronomy.

This work is designed for common schools, but may be used with advantage as an introductory work in high-schools and academies. In the preparation of these pages most of the best works in our language have been consulted, and the best standard authorities, with regard to new discoveries and facts, have governed the author's decisions.

The Diagrams, which are larger and more full than those of any other work adapted to common schools, are most of them original in their design, and exhibit the positions and phases of the planets in their orbits. The drawings being upon the principal of perspective, exhibit the inclinations of their several axes to the planes of their orbits more correctly than has hitherto been done in any other popular work. It is well to intimate to the young elementary student, who has made himself some what acquainted with the sublime mechanism of the solar system, that there is something more magnificent beyond. Accordingly the author has given a few Sidereal Maps, just to awaken in the young astronomer the amazing conception, that unnumbered suns and revolving worlds occupy the depths of space far beyond the confines of our planetary system. By these maps he will be able to learn the relative positions of the principal constellations and stars, which will be found useful and interesting to him in subsequent investigations of the ennobling truths of mathematical Astronomy.

The author is not so vain as to suppose that he has been able to present to teachers a faultless work ; but in his own practice, finding it tedious and often difficult to explain all the representable phenomena of the science on the black-board, and finding also a general concurrence of opinion among teachers most interested in the study of Astronomy, that a cheap, compact, and illustrated work is necessary in our common schools, he has attempted the production of such a work. The success of the work and the favor with which it has been received, sufficiently prove its superiority over all other works for the instruction of pupils in the general outlines of the science of Astronomy, and satisfies the author that he has not labored in vain in the production of this work.

Objections which are sometimes urged against questions and answers, in an elementary work, will not, the Author hopes, be urged in this case, as the pupil has the subject, fully illustrated, continually before the eye, while he is learning his lesson.

To the Teachers, of our common country, this work is most respectfully dedicated, in the sincere desire that the cause of education may be benefitted, and the labors of instruction in Astronomy may be rendered more easy and pleasant, from the illustrations it contains.

ASA SMITH, Principal of Ward School No. 11, [Late Public School, No. 12,)

Seventeenth Street, near Eighth Avenue, City of New York.

NAMES AND CHARACTERS OF THE SIGNS, PLANETS, AND ASPECTS.

Aries,

Taurus,

Gemini,

Cancer,

Leo, -

Virgo,

Libra,

Scorpio,

T Sagittarius - - $ Earth, - - ©

y Capricornus, - VJ ' Mars, • - $

EI Aquarius, - - £2 Vesta, - - ' fi

52 Pisces, - - ^ Juno, - -

S\ Sun, - - © or O Ceres, - - •?

n# Moon, ® O © ® Pallas, - - $

£z Mercury, - - 5 Astrasa,*

Til Venus, - - § Flora* -

* Not determined.

Hebe* - ■

Iris*

Jupiter,

Saturn,

Leverrier, -

Conjunction,

Sextile, h W

*

Quartile, Trine, - " - Opposition, - Ascending Node, Descending Node,

A

The following is a list of the names of the new Asteroids, date of discovery, and by whom discovered,

Name and Number.

9. 10. 11. 12.

Ceres

Pallas

Juno ,

Vesta ,

Astrsea ,

Hebe ,

Iris

Flora

Metis

Hvgeia

Parthenope.. .

Victoria

Date of Discovery

Jan.

Mar.

Sept

Mar.

Dec.

July

Aug

Oct.

Apri

Apri

May

Sept

28. . 1.

1. . 13.

18. 1 26. 12.

Name of Discoverer.

Piazza, of Sicily.

Olbers, of Bremen.

Harding.

Olbers.

Hencke, of Germany.

Hencke.

Hind, of London.

Hind.

Graham, of Ireland.

De Gasparis, of Naples.

De Gasparis.

Hind.

Name and Number.

13. Egeria

14. Irene

15. Eunomia. . . .

16. Psyche

17. Thetis

18. Melpomene...

19. Fortuna

20. Massilia... . .

21. Lutetia

22. Calliope

23. Thalia ..

Date of Discovery

Nov. 2.

May 19.

July 29.

Mar. 17.

April 17.

June 24.

Aug. 22.

Sept. 22.

Nov. 15.

Nov. 16.

Dec. 15.

Name of Discoverer.

De Gasparis.

Hind.

De Gasparis.

De Gasparis.

Luther, of Germany.

Hind.

Hind.

De Gasparis.

Goldschmidt, of Germany.

Hind.

Hind.