Abstract
THE teaching of astronomy is attended by many difficulties, and competes against other studies under disadvantages which cannot be denied. When facilities exist for practical work the weather may be trusted to play havoc with any prearranged time-table. When practical instruction is not attempted, astronomy when taken seriously demands so much knowledge of the elements of mathematics and the fundamental principles of physics that it may easily appear that the time would be more profitably spent in gaining familiarity with those primary sciences. Perhaps examinations and the requirements of candidates have a salutary effect in saving the subject from complete neglect. But its difficulties are not small, and even the student who has a fair mathematical equipment rarely finds it easy at first to acquire the jargon and the essential ideas of astronomy.
Elementary Mathematical Astronomy.
By C. W. C. Barlow Dr. G. H. Bryan. Eighth impression (Third edition). Pp. xvi+445. (London: University Tutorial Press, Ltd., 1923.) 9s. 6d.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
P., H. Elementary Mathematical Astronomy. Nature 113, 7 (1924). https://doi.org/10.1038/113007a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/113007a0