FOOTNOTES:
[1] A small pair of globes, that will answer every purpose required by the readers of these Letters, may be had of the publishers of this Work, at a price not exceeding ten dollars; or half that sum for a celestial globe, which will serve alone for studying astronomy.
[2] From two Greek words, τηλε, (tele,) far, and σκοπεω,(skopeo,) to see.
[3] Brewster's Life of Newton
[4] Bonnycastle's Astronomy.
[5] Library of Useful Knowledge: History of Astronomy, page 95.
[6] Sir J. Herschel.
[7]A tangent is a straight line touching a circle, as A D, in Fig. 28
[8] Dick's 'Celestial Scenery,' Chapter IV
[9] Dick's 'Celestial Scenery.'
"As when the moon, refulgent lamp of night, O'er heaven's clear azure sheds her sacred light, When not a breath disturbs the deep serene, And not a cloud o'ercasts the solemn scene, Around her throne the vivid planets roll, And stars unnumbered gild the glowing pole; O'er the dark trees a yellower verdure shed, And tip with silver every mountain's head; Then shine the vales, the rocks in prospect rise, A flood of glory bursts from all the skies; The conscious swains, rejoicing in the sight, Eye the blue vault, and bless the useful light."
Pope's Homer.
[11]The exact longitude of the City Hall, in the city of New York, is 4h. 56m. 33.5s.
[12] You will recollect that the sun is said to be at the node, when the places of the node and the sun are both projected, by a spectator on the earth, upon the same part of the heavens.
[13] Altissimum planetam tergeminum observavi. Or, as transposed, Smaismrmilme poeta leumi bvne nugttaviras.
[14] In imitation of Galileo, Huyghens announced his discovery in this form: a a a a a a a c c c c c d e e e e e g h i i i i i i i l l l l m m n n n n n n n n n o o o o p p q r r s t t t t t u u u u u; which he afterwards recomposed into this sentence: Annulo cingitur, tenui, plano, nusquam cohærente, ad eclipticam inclinato.
[15] Dick's 'Celestial Scenery.'
[16] Dick's 'Celestial Scenery.'
[17] The names of all the asteroids known at present are as follows:
| 1. Ceres. | 9. Metis. | 17. Psyche. |
| 2. Pallas. | 10. Hygeia. | 18. Melpomene. |
| 3. Juno. | 11. Parthenope. | 19. Fortuna. |
| 4. Vesta. | 12. Victoria. | 20. Massalia. |
| 5. Astræa. | 13. Egeria. | 21. Lutetia. |
| 6. Hebe. | 14. Irene. | 22. Calliope. |
| 7. Iris. | 15. Eunomia. | 23. Un-named. |
| 8. Flora. | 16. Thetis. |
[18] Sir John Herschel, however, states its diameter at 41,500 miles