A History of Astronomy

Abstract

IT is somewhat difficult to decide on the. attention; to bs devoted to a volume so small as the present one, as it is from the first apparent that as a “his tory” justice could only be done even, to a few. sections of the subject. The intention of the author appears to have been to give a more or less popular account of the evolution and progress of the chief divisions of the science, without attempting to render the story complete. Starting with, a short review of the astronomical notions of the early races, in the first two chapters. the various claims to priority of record are examined, the Chinese data purporting to extend back to 2500 n.c.; the Indian. system has tables, &c., supposed to be based on phenomena of the year 3102 B.C.; Egypt and Chaldea are also of very great antiquity, the latter recording the eclipses observed at Babylon in 721 and 720 B.C. In chapters iii and iv the advances made by the Greeks and Arabian philosophers are briefly reviewed. The Arabs excelled in methodical accuracy, and modern astro nomy owes them an immense debt for the introduction of the decimal notation, replacing the more cum bersome numerical notations of the Greeks and Romans.

A History of Astronomy.

By W. W. Bryant. Pp. xiv+355. (London: Methuen and Co., n.d.) Price 7s. 6d. net.