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THROUGH THE TELESCOPE




AGENTS


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[Illustration:

  PLATE I.

The 40-inch Refractor of the Yerkes Observatory.]




  THROUGH
  THE TELESCOPE

  BY

  JAMES BAIKIE, F.R.A.S.

  WITH 32 FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS
  AND 26 SMALLER FIGURES IN THE TEXT

  [Illustration]

  LONDON
  ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK
  1906




TO

C. N. B. AND H. E. B.




PREFACE


The main object of the following chapters is to give a brief and
simple description of the most important and interesting facts
concerning the heavenly bodies, and to suggest to the general reader
how much of the ground thus covered lies open to his personal survey
on very easy conditions. Many people who are more or less interested
in astronomy are deterred from making practical acquaintance with the
wonders of the heavens by the idea that these are only disclosed to
the possessors of large and costly instruments. In reality there is
probably no science which offers to those whose opportunities and
means of observation are restricted greater stores of knowledge and
pleasure than astronomy; and the possibility of that quickening of
interest which can only be gained by practical study is, in these
days, denied to very few indeed.

Accordingly, I have endeavoured, while recounting the great triumphs
of astronomical discovery, to give some practical help to those who
are inclined to the study of the heavens, but do not know how to
begin. My excuse for venturing on such a task must be that, in the
course of nearly twenty years of observation with telescopes of all
sorts and sizes, I have made most of the mistakes against which others
need to be warned.

The book has no pretensions to being a complete manual; it is merely
descriptive of things seen and learned. Nor has it any claim to
originality. On the contrary, one of its chief purposes has been to
gather into short compass the results of the work of others. I have
therefore to acknowledge my indebtedness to other writers, and notably
to Miss Agnes Clerke, Professor Young, Professor Newcomb, the late
Rev. T. W. Webb, and Mr. W. F. Denning. I have also found much help in
the _Monthly Notices_ and _Memoirs_ of the Royal Astronomical
Society, and the _Journal_ and _Memoirs_ of the British Astronomical
Association.

The illustrations have been mainly chosen with the view of
representing to the general reader some of the results of the best
modern observers and instruments; but I have ventured to reproduce a
few specimens of more commonplace work done with small telescopes. I
desire to offer my cordial thanks to those who have so kindly granted
me permission to reproduce illustrations from their published works,
or have lent photographs or drawings for reproduction--to Miss Agnes
Clerke for Plates XXV.-XXVIII. and XXX.-XXXII. inclusive; to
Mrs. Maunder for Plate VIII.; to M. Loewy, Director of the Paris
Observatory, for Plates XI.-XIV. and Plate XVII.; to Professor E. B.
Frost, Director of the Yerkes Observatory, for Plates I., VII., XV.,
and XVI.; to M. Deslandres, of the Meudon Observatory, for Plate IX.,
and the gift of several of his own solar memoirs; to the Astronomer
Royal for England, Sir W. Mahony Christie, for Plate V.; to Mr. H.
MacEwen for the drawings of Venus, Plate X.; to the Rev. T. E. R.
Phillips for those of Mars and Jupiter, Plates XX. and XXII.; to
Professor Barnard for that of Saturn, Plate XXIV., reproduced by
permission from the _Monthly Notices_ of the Royal Astronomical
Society; to Mr. W. E. Wilson for Plates XXIX. and XXXII.; to Mr. John
Murray for Plates XVIII. and XIX.; to the proprietors of _Knowledge_
for Plate VI.; to Mr. Denning and Messrs. Taylor and Francis for Plate
III. and Figs. 6 and 20; to the British Astronomical Association for
the chart of Mars, Plate XXI., reproduced from the _Memoirs_; and to
Messrs. T. Cooke and Sons for Plate II. For those who wish to see for
themselves some of the wonders and beauties of the starry heavens
the two Appendices furnish a few specimens chosen from an innumerable
company; while readers who have no desire to engage in practical work
are invited to skip Chapters I. and II.




CONTENTS


  CHAPTER                                                         PAGE

     I. THE TELESCOPE--HISTORICAL                                    1

    II. THE TELESCOPE--PRACTICAL                                    14

   III. THE SUN                                                     47

    IV. THE SUN'S SURROUNDINGS                                      68

     V. MERCURY                                                     81

    VI. VENUS                                                       89

   VII. THE MOON                                                   100

  VIII. MARS                                                       130

    IX. THE ASTEROIDS                                              148

     X. JUPITER                                                    154

    XI. SATURN                                                     172

   XII. URANUS AND NEPTUNE                                         190

  XIII. COMETS AND METEORS                                         203

   XIV. THE STARRY HEAVENS                                         230

    XV. CLUSTERS AND NEBULÆ                                        256

       