CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



PREFACE ....... v 



CHAPTER I. 



PRIMITIVE ASTRONOMY, 1-18 1-20 



i . Scope of astronomy . I 



2-5. First notions : the motion of the sun : the motion 

 and phases of the moon : daily motion of the 

 stars i 



6. Progress due to early civilised peoples : Egyptians, 



Chinese, Indians, and Chaldaeans ... 3 



7. The celestial sphere : its scientific value : apparent dis- 

 tance between the stars : the measurement of 

 angles 4 



8-9. The rotation of the celestial sphere : the North and 

 South poles : the daily motion : the celestial 

 equator : circumpolar stars ..... 7 



IO-II. The annual motion of the sun: great circles' 

 the ecliptic and its obliquity : the equinoxes and 

 equinoctial points : the solstices and solstitial 

 points . . . ... . . . . 8 



12-13. The constellations : the zodiac, signs of the zodiac, 

 and zodiacal constellations : the first point of 

 Aries (T), and the first point of Libra (^) . 12 



14. The five planets : direct and retrograde motions : 



stationary points 14 



15. The order of nearness of the planets: occultations : 



superior and inferior planets . . . 1 5 



