Astronomy in a nutshell : $b The chief facts and principles explained in popular language for the general reader and for schoolsServiss, Garrett Putman
Science
Astronomy in a nutshell : $b The chief facts and principles explained in popular language for the general reader and for schools
Serviss, Garrett Putman
Astronomy -- Juvenile literature
Having found it, begin by noting the various groups of stars, or
constellations, in the northern part of the sky, and, as the night wears
on, observe whether any change takes place in their position. To make
our description more definite, we will suppose that the observations
begin at nine o'clock P.M. about the 1st of July. At that hour and date,
and from the middle latitudes of the United States, the Great Dipper is
seen in a south-westerly direction from the North Star, with its handle
pointing overhead. At the same time, on the opposite side of the North
Star, and low in the north-east, appears the remarkable constellation of
Cassiopeia, easily recognisable by a zigzag figure, roughly resembling
the letter W, formed by its five principal stars. Fix the relative
positions of these constellations in the memory, and an hour later, at
10 P.M., look at them again. You will find that they have moved, the
Great Dipper sinking, while Cassiopeia rises. Make a third observation
at 11 P.M., and you will perceive that the motion has continued, The
Pointers having descended in the north-west, until they are on a level
with the North Star, while Cassiopeia has risen to nearly the same level
in the north-east. In the meantime, the North Star has remained
apparently motionless in its original position. If you repeat the
observation at midnight, you will find that the Great Dipper has
descended so far that its centre is on a level with the North Star, and
that Cassiopeia has proportionally risen in the north-east. It is just
as if the two constellations were attached to the ends of a rod pivoted
at the centre upon the North Star and twirling about it.
In the meantime you will have noticed that the figure of the “Little
Dipper,” attached to the North Star, which had its bowl toward the
zenith at 9 P.M., has swung round so that at midnight it is extended
toward the south-west. Thus, you will perceive that the North Star is
like a hub round which the heavens appear to turn, carrying the other
stars with them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account