32d ON tttE INDIAN, &C. 



understood the ttxl of their authors, the latitudes and 

 longitudes, there given, require correction. It will 

 indeed appear, in the progress of this inquiry, that the 

 positions of stars distant from the ecliptick, as there 

 given, do not exactly correspond with the true latitudes 

 and longitudes of the stars supposed to be intended :, 

 and the disagreement may be accounted for, by the 

 circumstance of the observations having been made in 

 the tnanner above described. 



Another mode of observation is taught in the 

 S'ldcChdnta sundara cited and expounded by the author 

 of the SMhanta sdrvahhaurua. ' A tube, adapted to 

 the summit of a gnomon, is directed towards the star on 

 the meridian : and the line of the tube, pointed to the 

 star, is prolonged by a thread to the ground. The line 

 from the summit of the gnomon to the base is the hy- 

 pothenuse ; the height of the gnomon is the perpendi- 

 cular ; and its distance from the extremity of the thread 

 is the base of the triangle. Therefore, as the hypothe- 

 nuse is to its base, so is the radius to a base, from which 

 the Ime ot the angle, and consequently the angle itself, 

 are known. If it exceed the latitude, the declination is 

 south ; or, if the contrary, it is north. The right 

 ascension of the star is ascertained by calculation from 

 the hour of the night, and from the right ascension of 

 the sun for that time. The declination of the corresr 

 ponding point of the ecliptick being found, the sum or 

 difference of the declinations, according as they are of 

 the same or of different denominations, is the distance 

 of the star from the ecliptick. The longitude of the 

 same jjoint is computed ; and from these elements, with 

 the actual precession of the equinox, may be calculated 

 the true longitude of the star; as also its latitude on a 

 circle passing through the po^es of the ecliptick.' 



Such, if I have rightly comprehended the meaning 

 in a single and not very accurate copy of the text, is. 

 the purport of the directions given in the Sldd'hiinta 



