CONTENTS

CHAPTERPAGE
[I.—Different kinds of measurement][1]
The measurement of angles and time.
[II.—The stars and their diurnal motion][10]
Finding the stars—Their apparent motion—Latitude—Direction of the meridian—Sidereal time—Definitions.
[III.—Fixed and wandering stars][29]
Apparent motion of the sun, moon, and planets—Orbits of the planets—How to find the planets.
[IV.—Celestial mechanics][46]
Kepler's laws—Newton's laws of motion—The law of gravitation—Orbital motion—Perturbations—Masses of the planets—Discovery of Neptune—The tides.
[V.—The earth as a planet][70]
Size—Mass—Precession—The warming of the earth—The atmosphere—Twilight.
[VI.—The measurement of time][86]
Solar and sidereal time—Longitude—The calendar—Chronology.
[VII.—Eclipses][101]
Their cause and nature—Eclipse limits—Eclipse maps—Recurrence and prediction of eclipses.
[VIII.—Instruments and the principles involved in their use][121]
The clock—Radiant energy—Mirrors and lenses—The telescope—Camera—Spectroscope—Principles of spectrum analysis.
[IX.—The moon][150]
Numerical data—Phases—Motion—Librations—Lunar topography—Physical condition.
[X.—The sun][178]
Numerical data—Chemical nature—Temperature—Visible and invisible parts—Photosphere—Spots—Faculæ—Chromosphere—Prominences—Corona—The sun-spot period—The sun's rotation—Mechanical theory of the sun.
[XI.—The planets][212]
Arrangement of the solar system—Bode's law—Physical condition of the planets—Jupiter—Saturn—Uranus and Neptune—Venus—Mercury—Mars—The asteroids.
[XII.—Comets and meteors][251]
Motion, size, and mass of comets—Meteors—Their number and distribution—Meteor showers—Relation of comets and meteors—Periodic comets—Comet families and groups—Comet tails—Physical nature of comets—Collisions.
[XIII.—The fixed stars][291]
Number of the stars—Brightness—Distance—Proper motion—Motion in line of sight—Double stars—Variable stars—New stars.
[XIV.—Stars and nebulæ][330]
Stellar colors and spectra—Classes of stars—Clusters—Nebulæ—Their spectra and physical condition—The Milky Way—Construction of the heavens—Extent of the stellar system.
[XV.—Growth and decay][358]
Logical bases and limitations—Development of the sun—The nebular hypothesis—Tidal friction—Roche's limit—Development of the moon—Development of stars and nebulæ—The future.
[Appendix][383]
[Index][387]