ARVARD COLLEGE oct 19, 1937 LIBRARY Laurance I. Neale RICHARD CLAY AND SONS, Limited, LONDON AND BUNGAY. First Edition printed (Pott 8vo), 1868. Reprinted, 1870, 1871, 1873. 1874, 1876; (Fcap. 8vo) 1877, 1879, 1881, 1883, 1885, January and March, 1886. New Editions, 1888, 1889. The Right of Translation and Reproduction is Reserved. PREFACE TO THE 36TH THOUSAND. THE present reprint has been revised throughout, and in the earlier portions of the work references have been made to the conclusions, having reference to the constitution of the heavenly bodies, that I have recently communicated to the Royal Society. I have to express my obligations to Miss A. M. Clerke, and to Mr. A. Fowler, Demonstrator of Astronomy, Normal School of Science, for their help in the revision and in the reading of proof sheets. J. NORMAN LOCKYER. SCIENCE SCHOOLS, PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. THESE Elementary Lessons in Astronomy" are intended, in the main, to serve as a text-book for use in Schools, but I believe they will be found useful to "children of a larger growth," who wish to make themselves acquainted with the basis and teachings of one of the most fascinating of the Sciences. The arrangement adopted is new; but it is the result of much thought. I have been especially anxious in the descriptive portion to show the Sun's real place in the Cosmos, and to separate the real from the apparent movements. I have therefore begun with the Stars, and have dealt with the apparent movements in a separate chapter. It may be urged that this treatment is objectionable, as it reduces the mental gymnastic to a minimum; it is right, therefore, that I should state that my aim throughout the book has been to give a connected view of the whole subject rather than to discuss any particulat parts of it; and to supply facts, and ideas founded on the facts, to serve as a basis for subsequent study and discussion. A companion volume to the present one—I allude to the altogether admirable "Popular Astronomy" from the pen of the late Astronomer Royal-may, from this point of view, be looked upon as a sequel to two or three chapters in this book. It has been my especial endeavour to incorporate the most recent astronomical discoveries. Spectrum-analysis and its results are therefore fully dealt with; and distances, masses, &c., are based upon the recent determination of the solar parallax. The use of the Globes and of the Telescope have both been touched upon. Now that our best opticians are employed in producing “Educational Telescopes," more than powerful enough for school purposes, at a low price, it is to be hoped that this aid to knowledge will soon find its place in every school, side by side with the blackboard and much questioning. All the steel plates in the book, acknowledged chefsd'œuvres of astronomical drawing, have been placed at my disposal by my friend Mr. Warren De La Rue. I take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to him, and also to the Council of the Royal Astronomical Society, M. Guillemin, Mr. R. Bentley, the Rev. H. Godfray, Mr. Cooke, and Mr. Browning, who have kindly supplied me with many of the other illustrations. I am also under obligations to other friends, especially to Mr. Balfour Stewart and Mr. J. M. Wilson, for valuable advice and criticism, while the work has been passing through the press. J. N. L. |