422 Ml". Woollgar on Celestial Globes. 



on the catalogue of WoUaston published in 1789, and they 

 each contain about 6000 objects, inckiding the nebulas and 

 clusters. The former globe includes also the stars extracted 

 by Messrs. Herschel from the observations of Flamsteed. Not- 

 M'ithstanding the praises bestowed on the " New British Globes" 

 in various Cyclopaedias and globe treatises, I consider Gary's 

 celestial globe to possess a decided advantage over its rival, in 

 havino- annexed to every star its proper numerical or charac- 

 teristic designation ; whilst two-thirds of the stars in the other 

 are without any reference. 



Those who are acquainted with Wollaston's Catalogue, or 

 who will take the trouble of comparing the portions of the 

 Zodiacal Catalogue (published in your Journal) with Cary's 

 or Bardin's globe, will perceive that there is much room for 

 improvement. Now the Prospectus of the 36-inch globes 

 states that " the celestial will contain all the stars as far as the 

 ninth magnitude inclusive, with their nebulas and clusters, the 

 whole depicted with the strictest accuracy." I fear the pub- 

 lishers are not aware of the difficulty that will attend the ful- 

 filment of this promise. They will perhaps be surprised to 

 learn that there is not any arranged catalogue which embraces 

 the whole sphere to the extent referred to ; and that the only 

 maps extant are those of Professor Harding, the latter sheets 

 of which have not yet reached this country, and which being 

 the result of actual examination, embrace only that portion of 

 the heavens visible in Northern Europe*. 



Not one half of the stars inserted in these sheets can be 

 transferred to a surface of little more than one-third the extent 

 of the original, without great confusion. In fact, if the designer 

 of these new globes will limit himself to stars of the seventh 

 magnitude and upwards, with the principal nebulae and clusters, 

 he will then have introduced from 15 to 20,000 objects, which, 

 with their proper characters or numbers, will be found to oc- 

 cupy the given space quite as fully as is consistent with distinct- 

 ness. And as such designs will be far superior to any British 

 maps of the stai's, Mr. Janiieson's not excepted, I would sug- 

 gest the possibility of the engraving being so arranged as that 

 impressions of the plates might be done up in the form of a 

 Celestial Atlas. 



In making these remarks, my object has been to draw the 

 public attention to the principles and comparative merits of 

 the different globes now extant ; and to induce the publishers 



* This most elaborate production is on a scale ratiier exceeding half an 

 inch to a degree, and contains at least .iO,000 stars down to the ninth mag- 

 nitude inclusive. When the whole of the sheets shall have been procured, 

 I may perhaps oiTer a detailed account to the readers of the Phil. Mag. 



of 



