Natural Philosophy Volume 3; Astronomy. History of Astronomy. Mathematical Geography. Physical Geography, and Navigation with an Explanation of Scientific Terms, and an Index (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1834 Excerpt: ...abandoned on account philosophers held the opinions of Py of some practical objections. thagoras, the majority seem to have As nothing connected with astronomy embraced the opposite doctrines. Ptoseems to have escaped the sagacity of lemy followed these latter, and, unfor Hipparchus, he did not overlook the tunately for him, his name has become correction of the Calendar. We have attached to a system now universally seen that the period of Callippus was admitted to be erroneous. It is true far from exact: according to the cal-that the ancients wanted some decisive culations of Hipparchus, the error fit and convincing proofs of the earth's Hipparchus nunquam satis laudatus, ut quo motion, which we possess; but though nemo magis comprobaverit cognationem cum much has been said to excuse Ptolemy, homine syiierum, anlniasqlie nostras partem esse Jjjg justification remains very inCOm cceli, ausus rem etiam Deo improbam, an-., rr, ... V numeiare posteris steiias.-Hist. Nat. u. 26. plete. The arguments that he urges against the earth's motion, such as that to east, would leave behind it the clouds, in this case the poles would not be ira-birds flying in the air, and, generally, moveable points on the celestial sphere, all objects suspended in the atmosphere, that the fixed stars would not always A stone thrown to the east would not preserve the same apparent distances advance, the earth constantly preceding from one another, and other objections it by the excess of its velocity. These of a similar kind, are all obviated by objections are all founded on an ignothe single remark made by Aristarchus, ranee of the principles of mechanics, fourcenturies previously, that the earth's and seem to be on a par with those orbit was a point in comparison with urged by some aga...