Observational Astronomy

Abstract

THIS small book should serve the purpose for which it is issued; the object being to provide the beginner with an inexpensive treatise to enable him to become familiar with and interested in the practice of observational astronomy. For this reason the author limits himself to the purely descriptive side of astronomy, dealing with the sun, planets, comets, and meteors, giving numerous references where necessary. Short chapters are given on eclipses, transits, occultations, and “the sidereal firmament,” the latter treating of double and coloured stars, &c. The chapter on the telescope contains many practical hints, besides numerous woodcuts, while that devoted to the moon is very pleasant reading, and gives a good account of the more general features. The illustrations, as will be gathered from the above, are very numerous, many of them being from the pen of the author himself. With respect to these, we must add that the one given on p. 72 of the Orion nebula does not remind us of the most beautiful object in the heavens, while on p. 66 Donati's comet is depicted minus the two long streamers which made this object so striking. The book concludes with a short obituary of the Rev. T. W. Webb and an appendix containing brief contributions from Denning on comets and meteors, Gore on variable and temporary stars, Seabroke on double star measurement, and a few others.

Observational Astronomy.

By Arthur Mee (Cardiff: Daniel Owen and Co., 1893.)