The Earth and the Stars |
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absolute magnitude Alpha Andromeda angle angular appear astronomers atmosphere atoms average axis binary bolometer called Capella celestial object century chemical elements clouds color comet compared constellation corona curve dark diameter disk distance double stars earth electric electrons equal equator equinox fainter Galaxy gaseous gases give heat heavenly bodies heavens Herschel hydrogen immense instrument Jupiter latitude lens Lick Observatory light light-years longitude lunar magnetic magnitude mass means measured Mercury meteors miles Milky minor planets mirror moon moon's Mount Wilson nearly nebula number of stars observed orbit parallax period photographic planets PLATE pole proper motions revolution revolving right ascension rotation satellites Saturn seconds of arc seen Sirius solar eclipse solar spectrum solar system spectra spectroheliograph spectroscope spectroscopic binaries spectrum lines spiral nebulæ star clusters stellar sun rays sun-spot sun's telescope temperature tion Uranus variable velocity Venus Wilson Observatory
Popular passages
Page 13 - Newton generalized the law of attraction into a statement that every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force which varies directly as the product of their masses and inversely as the square of the distance between them; and he thence deduced the law of attraction for spherical shells of constant density.
Page 68 - Newton's law of gravitation states that any two bodies attract each other with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them, ie, (3.
Page 144 - This means the average time elapsing from new moon to new moon, or from full moon to full moon.
Page 9 - Harmonics ; what I had promised my friends in the title of this book, which I named before I was sure of my discovery ; what, sixteen years ago, I urged as a thing to be sought; that for which I joined Tycho Brahe, for which I settled in Prague, for which I have devoted the best part of my life to astronomical contemplations ; — at length I have brought to light, and have recognised its truth beyond my most sanguine expectations.
Page 63 - After a few moments' silent thought, Sir John diffidently inquired whether it would not be possible to effect a transfusion of artificial light through the focal object of vision!. Sir David, somewhat startled at the originality of the idea, paused awhile, and then hesitatingly referred to the refrangibility of rays, and the angle of incidence.
Page 9 - I will indulge in my sacred fury ; I will triumph over mankind by the honest confession, that I have stolen the golden vases of the Egyptians to build up a tabernacle for my God, far from the confines of Egypt.
Page 9 - God far away from the confines of Egypt. If you forgive me, I rejoice; if you are angry, I can bear it: the die is cast, the book is written ; to be read either now or by posterity, I care not which : it may well wait a century for a reader, as God has waited six thousand years for an observer.
Page 15 - I know not what the world will think of my labors, but to myself it seems that I have been but as a child playing on the sea-shore ; now finding some pebble rather more polished, and now some shell rather more agreeably variegated than another, while the immense ocean of truth extended itself, unexplored, before me.
Page 166 - Aries (the Ram), Taurus (the Bull) Gemini (the Twins), Cancer (the Crab), Leo (the Lion), Virgo (the Virgin), Libra (the Scales), Scorpio (the Scorpion), Sagittarius (the Archer), Capricornus (the Goat), Aquarius (the Water-bearer), and Pisces (the Fishes).
Page 246 - The square of the period of a planet is proportional to the cube of its mean distance from the Sun.