on a certain number of inhabited planets, kept by gravitation within the sphere of its activity. When we therefore contemplate on those ample and amazing structures, erected in endless magnificence over all the ethereal plains, when we look upon them as so many repositories of light, or fruitful abodes of life, when we consider that in all probability there are orbs vastly more remote than those which appear to our unaided sight, orbs whose effulgence, though travelling ever since the Creation, has not yet arrived upon our coast What an august, what an amazing conception does this give of the works of the Omnipotent Creator; who made use of no preparatory measures, or long circuit of means. He spake, and ten thousand times ten thousand Suns, multiplied without end, hanging pendulous in the great vault of Heaven, at immense distances from each other, attended by ten thousand times ten thousand worlds, all in rapid motion, yet calm, regular, and harmonious, invariably keeping the paths prescribed, rolled from his creating hand. But when we contemplate on the power, wisdom, goodness, and magnificence of the Great Creator; let us use the language of the immortal Dr. Young, in his appeal to the starry Heavens: Built with Divine ambition, in disdain Of limit built; built in the taste of Heaven, Vast concave, ample dome. Wast thou designed A meet apartment for the Deity? Not so; that thought alone thy state impairs, Thy lofty sinks, and shallows thy profound, INTERROGATIONS FOR SECTION FIRST. What is ASTRONOMY? It is a mixed Mathematical Science, teaching the knowledge of the celestial bodies, their magnitudes, motions, distances, periods, eclipses and order. What are its uses ? What conviction does a knowledge of this branch of science give to the understanding? What cheering sentiment is formed from a knowledge of this science? What is the diameter of the earth? How many miles is the diameter of the earth's orbit? How is it known that the stars are at immense distances from us? How is it known that they are at immense distances from each other? What instruments have been invented to aid the sight of man? Who supposed there were stars, whose light had not yet reached the earth since their first creation? Who confirmed the idea? Why cannot the same rays be reflected back from the stars to our eyes ? With what light do the stars shine? How could the Deity have given us greater light in the night time, than by the whole starry host? How is it known that the Comets belong to the Solar System? From what parity of reasoning, is it believed that the stars are so many suns, and have worlds revolving about them? How are those planets supplied with light, which are farthest from the Sun ? SECTION SECOND. OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. THE Solar System consists of the Sun, with all the Planets and Comets that move around him as their centre. Those which are near the Sun, not only fin ish their circuits sooner, but likewise move with greater rapidity in their respective orbits, than those which are more remote. Their motions are all performed from West to East, in Elliptical orbits. Their names, distances, magnitudes, and periodical revolutions, are as follows:-The Sun is placed near the common centre, or rather in the lower focus of the orbits of all the planets and comets, and turns round on his axis once in 25 days, 14 hours and 8 minutes; as has been proved, from the motion of the spots, seen on his surface. His diameter is computed at 883,246 miles, and by the various attractions of the convolving planets, he is agitated by a small motion round the centre of gravity of the system. His mean apparent diameter as seen from the earth, is 32 minutes and one second. His so B lidity, and indeed that of every other planet, may be found by multiplying the cube of their diameters by ,5236. All the planets as seen by a spectator, placed on the sun, move the same way, and according to the order of the signs, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, &c. which represent the great ecliptic. But, to a spectator placed on any one of the planets, the others sometimes appear to go backward, sometimes forward, and at others stationary; not moving in proper circles, nor elliptical orbits, but in looped curves, which never return into themselves. The Comets, also appear to come from all parts, and appear to move in various directions. These proofs are sufficient to establish the fact, that the sun is placed near the centre, and that all the other planets revolve around him: are irradiated by his beams: receive the distribution of his rays, and are dependant for the enjoyment of every blessing on this grand dispensor of divine munificence. The orbits of the planets are not in the same plane with the ecliptic,* but crosses it in two points directly opposite to each other, called the planet's nodes.tThat from which the planet ascends northward above the ecliptic, is called the ascending node; and the other which is directly opposite, (and consequently 6 signs asunder,) is called the descending node. *The ecliptic is an imaginary great circle in the Heavens, in the plane of which the earth performs her annual revolutions round the sun. †The node is the intersection of the orbit of any planet with that of the earth. |
