80 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



observations we are led to conclude, that the 

 globe on which we tread is suspended in empty 

 space is surrounded on all sides by the celes 

 tial vault and that the whole sphere of the 

 heavens has an apparent motion round the earth 

 every twenty-four hours. Whether this motion 

 be real, or only apparent, must be determined by 

 other considerations. 



Such general views of the nocturnal heavens, 

 which every common observer may take, have 

 a tendency to expand the mind, and to elevate it 

 to the contemplation of an invisible power, by 

 which such mighty movements are conducted. 

 Whether we consider the vast concave, with all 

 its radiant orbs, moving in majestic grandeur 

 around our globe, or the earth itself whirling 

 round its inhabitants in an opposite direction 

 an idea of sublimity, and of Almighty energy, 

 irresistibly forces itself upon the mind, which 

 throws completely into the shade the mightiest 

 etforts of human power. The most powerful 

 mechanical engines that were ever constructed 



work, about eleven years ago, made a number of 

 observations, by means of an equatorial telescope, 

 to determine the following particulars : What stars 

 and planets may be conveniently seen in the day 

 time, when the sun is above the horizon ? What de 

 grees of magnifying power are requisite for distin 

 guishing them ? How near their conjunction with 

 the sun they may be seen ; and, whether the dimi 

 nution of the aperture of the telescope, or the in 

 crease of magnifying power, conduces most to ren 

 der a star or planet visible in day-light. The results 

 of several hundreds of observations on these points, 

 accompanied with some original deductions and re 

 marks, are inserted in &quot; Nicholson s Philosophical 

 Journal,&quot; for October, 1813, vol. 36, p. 109123. The 

 following are some of the results which were de 

 duced from the observations : That a star of the 

 first magnitude maybe distinguished at any time of 

 the day, with a magnifying power of SO times, but 

 that a higher magnifying power is preferable That 

 most of the stars of the second magnitude may be 

 seen with a power of 100; and with a power of 60 

 times, when the sun is not much more than two 

 hours above the horizon That the planet Jupiter, 

 when not within so or 40 degrees of the sun, may be 

 seen with a power of 15 times ; and that Venus 

 may, in most instances, be seen with a power of 

 from 7 to 100 times, and upwards That Jupiter 

 can scarcely be distinguished in the day-time, when 

 within 26 degrees of the sun ; but that Venus may 

 be distinctly perceived near her superior conjunc 

 tion, when only one degree and 27 minutes from 

 the sun s margin ; and, consequently, may be visible 

 at the time of thai conjunction, when her geocen 

 tric latitude equals or exceeds l degree 43 minutes 

 That she may be perceived, like a fine, slender 

 crescent, within 35 hours after passing her inferior 

 conjunction, &c. &c. One practical purpose to 

 which such observations on Venus, at the time of 

 her superior conjunction, may be applied, is, to 

 determine the difference (if any) between her polar 

 and equatorial diameters. For, it is only at that 

 conjunction that she presents to the earth a full en 

 lightened hemisphere ; and in no other position can 

 the measure of both diameters be taken, except 

 when she makes a transit across the sun s disk. 

 As the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, are found 

 to be spheroids, it is highly probable that Venus 

 Is of a similar figure; but this point has never yet 

 been ascertained by actual observation. See also 

 &quot;The Edinburgh Philos. Journal,&quot; No. 5, for July 

 1820, p. 191 ; and No. 13, for July, 1822&quot; The Scots 

 Mag.&quot; for Feb. 1814, p. 84. &quot;Monthly Mag.&quot; Feb. 

 814, and August 1620, p. 62. 



by the agency of man, can scarcely afford us tht- 

 least assistance in forming a conception of that 

 incomprehensible power, which, wilh unceas 

 ing energy, communicates motion to revolving 

 worlds. And yet such is the apathy with which 

 the heavens are viewed by the greater part of 

 mankind, that there are thousands who have oc 

 casionally gazed at the stars, for the space of 

 fifty years, who are still ignorant of the fact, that 

 they perform an apparent diurnal revo uiion 

 round our globe. 



Again, if we contemplate the heavens with 

 some attention, for a number of successive 

 nights, we shall find, that by far the greater part 

 of the stars never vary their positions with re 

 spect to each other. If we observe two stars at 

 a certain apparent distance from each other, 

 either north or south, or in any other direction, 

 they will appear at the same distance, and in the 

 same relative position to each other, the next 

 evening, the next month, and the next year. The 

 stars, for instance, which form the sword and 

 belt of Orion, present to our eye the same figure 

 and relative aspect, during the whole period they 

 are visible in winter, and from one year to 

 another rand the same is the case with all the 

 fixed stars in the firmament. On examining the 

 sky a litlle more minutely however, we perceive 

 certain bodies which regularly shift their posi 

 tions. Sometimes they appear to move towards 

 the east, sometimes towards the west, and at 

 other times seem to remain in a stationary posi 

 tion. These bodies have obtained the name of 

 planets, or wandering stars ; and, in our latitude, 

 are most frequently seen, either in the eastern 

 and western, or in the southern parts of the hea 

 vens. Ten of these planetary orbs have been 

 discovered ; six of which are, for the most part, 

 invisible to the naked eye. By a careful exami 

 nation of the motions of these bodies, and their 

 different aspects, astronomers have determined, 

 that they all move round the sun as the centre of 

 their motions, and form, along with the earth and 

 several smaller globes, one grand and harmonious 

 system. This assemblage of planetary bodies is 

 generally termed the solar system, of which I 

 shall now endeavour to exhibit a brief outline. 



THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 



Of this system, the sun is the centre and the 

 animating principle, and by far the largest body 

 that exists within its limits. The first thing 

 that strikes the mind when contemplating this 

 glorious orb, is its astonishing magnitude. This 

 vast globe is found to be about 880,000 miles ir 

 diameter, and, consequently, contains a mass of 

 matter equal lo thirteen hundred thousand globes 

 of the size of the earth. Were its central parts 

 placed adjacent to the surface of the earth, it&quot; 

 circumference would reach two hundred thou 

 sand miles beyond the moon s orbit on every 



