15 



disk, have been made subservient to this purpose, and, in- 

 deed, have reduced any remaining uncertainty about the 

 quantity of this angle, within very narrow limits ; so that, in 

 fact, it may be considered with almost actual certainty, that 

 the angle of the sun's horizontal parallax, at the mean dis- 

 tance from the earth, lies between the limits of S'.GS, and 

 8^75. 



To enable persons, who are not in the habit of making as- 

 tronomical calculations, to judge of the accuracy to which 

 the distance of the earth from the sun has been hitherto de- 

 termined, I have arranged the following short table, which 

 will shew at one view, within what bounds, our present know- 

 ledge on this subject is comprised, and to what errors we are 

 still liable. It may, perhaps, also, from a view of the uncer- 

 tainty that still hangs over this subject, suggest to those wha 

 are qualified for such undertakings, to obviate the remaining 

 imperfections, and thus attain to still higher degrees of pre- 

 cision, in ascertaining this important element of astronomical 

 knowledge. 



A TABLE 



