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A Text-Book of Astronomy
Excerpt from A Text-Book of Astronomy
The present work is not a compendium of astronomy or an outline course of popular reading in that science. It has been prepared as a text-book, and the author has purposely omitted from it much matter interesting as well as important to a complete view of the science, and has endeavored to concentrate attention upon those parts of the subject that possess special educational value. From this point of view matter which permits of experimental treatment with simple apparatus is of peculiar value and is given a prominence in the text beyond its just due in a well-balanced exposition of the elements of astronomy, while topics, such as the results of spectrum analysis, which depend upon elaborate apparatus, are in the experimental part of the work accorded much less space than their intrinsic importance would justify.
Teacher and student are alike urged to magnify the observational side of the subject and to strive to obtain in their work the maximum degree of precision of which their apparatus is capable. The instruments required are few and easily obtained. With exception of a watch and a protractor, all of the apparatus needed may be built by any one of fair mechanical talent who will follow the illustrations and descriptions of the text.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
The present work is not a compendium of astronomy or an outline course of popular reading in that science. It has been prepared as a text-book, and the author has purposely omitted from it much matter interesting as well as important to a complete view of the science, and has endeavored to concentrate attention upon those parts of the subject that possess special educational value. From this point of view matter which permits of experimental treatment with simple apparatus is of peculiar value and is given a prominence in the text beyond its just due in a well-balanced exposition of the elements of astronomy, while topics, such as the results of spectrum analysis, which depend upon elaborate apparatus, are in the experimental part of the work accorded much less space than their intrinsic importance would justify.
Teacher and student are alike urged to magnify the observational side of the subject and to strive to obtain in their work the maximum degree of precision of which their apparatus is capable. The instruments required are few and easily obtained. With exception of a watch and a protractor, all of the apparatus needed may be built by any one of fair mechanical talent who will follow the illustrations and descriptions of the text.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
418 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2011
About the author
George C. Comstock
32 books2 followersProfessor George Cary Comstock was an American astronomer and educator.
He studied mathematics and astronomy and earned an PH.D. from the University of Michigan in 1877. He also studied law and was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1883, but he never practiced.
He was employed by the U.S. Lake Survey, by a Mississippi River improvement project and in 1879 became assistent director of the Washburn Observatory, where he would later be the director. In 1887 he was appointed professor of mathematics and astronomy at the Ohio State University.
Since 1897 he played an important role in the organizing of the American Astronomical Society, serving first as secretary and later as vice president and since 1925 as president.
In 1904 he was appointed first chair of the University of Wisconsin graduate school, later becoming Dean. He held this position until 1920, then retired in 1922 as Professor Emeritus of Astronomy.
(Source: Wikipedia)
He studied mathematics and astronomy and earned an PH.D. from the University of Michigan in 1877. He also studied law and was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1883, but he never practiced.
He was employed by the U.S. Lake Survey, by a Mississippi River improvement project and in 1879 became assistent director of the Washburn Observatory, where he would later be the director. In 1887 he was appointed professor of mathematics and astronomy at the Ohio State University.
Since 1897 he played an important role in the organizing of the American Astronomical Society, serving first as secretary and later as vice president and since 1925 as president.
In 1904 he was appointed first chair of the University of Wisconsin graduate school, later becoming Dean. He held this position until 1920, then retired in 1922 as Professor Emeritus of Astronomy.
(Source: Wikipedia)
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August 15, 2015
A bit dated; not well suited for the beginning amateur astronomer.
Displaying 1 of 1 review