Tableau de l'Astronomie dans phémisphère austral et dans l'inde—De l'Astronomie dans l'Académie Royale de Belgique, Rapport séculaire (1772–1872)

Abstract

TWO publications by the same author lie before us, each meriting a separate notice. Of the first—an extract from the Mémoires de l'Academie Royale de Belgique,—it is difficult to speak more highly in many respects than it deserves. Learned and full as to its matter, clear and perspicuous in style, it tells in a very pleasant as well as instructive manner the story of southern astronomy. A good deal of misapprehension, we believe, exists as to the beauty of that part of the heavens which is for ever hid from European eyes. The Southern Cross seems to be more remarkable for its associations than its grandeur; and Canopus, the only gem of extraordinary brilliancy which never rises here, is yet outshone by our familiar Dog-star, Some parts indeed of the southern Galaxy are extremely luminous; and this may well be admitted without subscribing to the assertion of a somewhat flighty Hellenic observer, that around the bow of Sagittarius it gives light enough to read the smallest print! and the marvellous variable η Argus, ranging from rivalry with Sirius down to the edge of invisibility without a telescope, is an object of interest for which, in its own way, we might seek a parallel in vain. But on the whole we may well feel that there is nothing in the hidden region to compensate a voyage to gaze upon it. Nor indeed is that region as extensive as, without reflection, might be supposed. The part of the sky which never rises being equal to that which never sets, its radius is the distance of the pole from the N. horizon; and mere inspection will show that this is no preponderating portion of the whole, if to the visible hemisphere we add all that part, which, though beneath the horizon at any one time, will successively come into view at other hours of day and night. All this is of course perfectly obvious to any student of astronomy; but we mention it because the idea is perhaps not often realised, how little, comparatively, of the sky we lose in our latitudes, and that little not of the most interesting character.

Tableau de l'Astronomie dans phémisphère austral et dans l'inde.—De l'Astronomie dans l'Académie Royale de Belgique, Rapport séculaire (1772–1872).

Par Éd. Mailly. (Bruxelles, F.Hayez, 1872.)