And next the Crab, the Lion shines,
The Virgin and the Scales,
The Scorpion, Archer, and He-Goat,
The Man that bears the Watering-pot,
And Fish with glittering tails.
[6] This statement leaves out of account small motions nearly or quite invisible to the naked eye, some of which are among the most interesting discoveries of telescopic astronomy; see, for example, chapter X., [§§ 207-215].
[7] The custom of calling the sun and moon planets has now died out, and the modern usage will be adopted henceforward in this book.
[8] It may be noted that our word “day” (and the corresponding word in other languages) is commonly used in two senses, either for the time between sunrise and sunset (day as distinguished from night), or for the whole period of 24 hours or day-and-night. The Greeks, however, used for the latter a special word, νυχθήμερον.
[9] Compare the French: Mardi, Mercredi, Jeudi, Vendredi; or better still the Italian: Martedi, Mercoledi, Giovedi, Venerdi.
[10] See, for example, Old Moore’s or Zadkiel’s Almanack.