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THE NEW ASTRONOMY
THE NEW ASTRONOMY
BY
SAMUEL PIERPONT LANGLEY, Ph.D., LL.D.
DIRECTOR OF THE ALLEGHENY OBSERVATORY, MEMBER NATIONAL ACADEMY,
FELLOW ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, ETC., ETC.
Illustrated
BOSTON.
TICKNOR AND COMPANY
211 Tremont Street
1888
Copyright, 1884, 1885, 1886, and 1887, by the Century Co.;
and 1887, by S. P. Langley.
All rights reserved.
University Press:
John Wilson and Son, Cambridge.
PREFACE.
I have written these pages, not for the professional reader,but with the hope of reaching a part of that educatedpublic on whose support he is so often dependent for themeans of extending the boundaries of knowledge.
It is not generally understood that among us not only thesupport of the Government, but with scarcely an exceptionevery new private benefaction, is devoted to “the Old” Astronomy,which is relatively munificently endowed already;while that which I have here called “the New,” so fruitful inresults of interest and importance, struggles almost unaided.
We are all glad to know that Urania, who was in the beginningbut a poor Chaldean shepherdess, has long since becomewell-to-do, and dwells now in state. It is far less known thanit should be that she has a younger sister now among us,bearing every mark of her celestial birth, but all unendowedand portionless. It is for the reader’s interest in the latterthat this book is a plea.
CONTENTS.
| Chapter | Page | |
| I. | Spots on the Sun | 1 |
| II. | The Sun’s Surroundings | 35 |
| III. | The Sun’s Energy | 70 |
| IV. | The Sun’s Energy (Continued) | 91 |
| V. | The Planets and the Moon | 117 |