On the new method of determining the longitude by the culmination of the moon and stars being a paper read before the Astronomical society of London. To which are now added an appendix, and a list of stars, applicable to the purpose, for the year 1825 / By Francis Baily.

  • Francis Baily
Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the new method of determining the longitude by the culmination of the moon and stars being a paper read before the Astronomical society of London. To which are now added an appendix, and a list of stars, applicable to the purpose, for the year 1825 / By Francis Baily. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    27/50 page 25
    will be found conducive to the improvement of the connected sciences of astronomy and navigation. For, at the present time, a more than ordinary interest is excited in favour of astronomy. New observatories have recently been erected not only in our own country, but also in some of our posses¬ sions in the southern hemisphere, which already vie with those which have been long established in Europe. In our East India possessions, likewise, a degree of zeal has been manifested, which may be attended with the most beneficial results : the old observatories have been called into greater activity, and new ones are contemplated, furnished with the most approved and valu¬ able instruments. The rising greatness also of the American states, both in the northern and the southern hemisphere, has led to the establishment of universities in various parts of that immense continent. The determination of the exact longitude of all these places, is an object of considerable importance, both in astronomy and navigation. Independent, however, of these national or public observatories, there are many belonging to private individuals not only at home, but also in distant and various parts of the world : and if facili¬ ties were given for making observations of the kind alluded to in this paper, there is no doubt that such persons, stimulated with a love of astronomy and a desire of rendering their labours serviceable to the public, would be induced to make observations (now wholly neglected) which would infallibly lead to a correct determination of the longitude of the place of observation, and thus tend to fix the positions of many important places on the sea coast, and thereby correct the charts of such countries. In fact, it is impossible to estimate justly the advantages which even an amateur astronomer may render to science by having facilities of this kind afforded him : for, insulated observations of this sort, even with an ordinary transit, might in many cases serve to determine positions, which would correct a whole line of coast, or be referred to as points of departure on distant expeditions. 39. This Society has, indeed, on several recent occasions of considerable importance, experienced the want of lists of these moon-culminating stars. In the summer of last year. Commodore Krusenstern (prior to the departure of the Russian expedition, under the command of Captain Kotzebue) applied to the Council of this Society for information and advice relative to some points of astronomical inquiry connected with their pursuits. The Council wished to furnish him, amongst other things, with those lists, for two or three years in advance : but no such lists were to be procured. Similar disappoint¬ ments have also taken place on other occasions of the same kind, with respect E
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image