Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- SUPPLEMENT
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES
- Errata
- A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy
- BOOK I A SKETCH OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- BOOK II ECLIPSES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED PHENOMENA
- CHAPTER I GENERAL OUTLINES
- CHAPTER II ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER III THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 28, 1851
- CHAPTER IV THE ANNULAR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF MARCH 14–15. 1858
- CHAPTER V THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 18, 1860
- CHAPTER VI HISTORICAL NOTICES
- CHAPTER VII ECLIPSES OF THE MOON
- CHAPTER VIII SUGGESTIONS FOR OBSERVING ANNULAR ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER IX TRANSITS OF THE INFERIOR PLANETS
- BOOK III THE TIDES
- BOOK IV MISCELLANEOUS ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA
- BOOK V COMETS
- BOOK VI CHRONOLOGICAL ASTRONOMY
- BOOK VII THE STARRY HEAVENS
- BOOK VIII ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
- CHAPTER I TELESCOPES
- CHAPTER II TELESCOPE STANDS
- CHAPTER III THE EQUATORIAL
- CHAPTER IV THE TRANSIT INSTRUMENT
- CHAPTER V OTHER ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
- CHAPTER VI HISTORY OF THE TELESCOPE
- BOOK IX A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY
- BOOK X METEORIC ASTRONOMY
- APPENDICES
- INDEX TO SUBJECTS
- INDEX TO NAMES
- Plate section
CHAPTER V - OTHER ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- SUPPLEMENT
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES
- Errata
- A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy
- BOOK I A SKETCH OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- BOOK II ECLIPSES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED PHENOMENA
- CHAPTER I GENERAL OUTLINES
- CHAPTER II ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER III THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 28, 1851
- CHAPTER IV THE ANNULAR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF MARCH 14–15. 1858
- CHAPTER V THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 18, 1860
- CHAPTER VI HISTORICAL NOTICES
- CHAPTER VII ECLIPSES OF THE MOON
- CHAPTER VIII SUGGESTIONS FOR OBSERVING ANNULAR ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER IX TRANSITS OF THE INFERIOR PLANETS
- BOOK III THE TIDES
- BOOK IV MISCELLANEOUS ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA
- BOOK V COMETS
- BOOK VI CHRONOLOGICAL ASTRONOMY
- BOOK VII THE STARRY HEAVENS
- BOOK VIII ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
- CHAPTER I TELESCOPES
- CHAPTER II TELESCOPE STANDS
- CHAPTER III THE EQUATORIAL
- CHAPTER IV THE TRANSIT INSTRUMENT
- CHAPTER V OTHER ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
- CHAPTER VI HISTORY OF THE TELESCOPE
- BOOK IX A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY
- BOOK X METEORIC ASTRONOMY
- APPENDICES
- INDEX TO SUBJECTS
- INDEX TO NAMES
- Plate section
Summary
Of the other instruments used for astronomical purposes the following are the chief:—
The Altazimuth.
The Mural Circle.
Borda's Repeating Circle.
The Zenith Sector.
The Reflex Zenith Tube.
The Sextant.
The Box Sextant.
Troughton's Reflecting Circle.
The Dip Sector.
The Floating Collimator.
The Orbit Sweeper.
The instruments comprised in the above list are, for the most part, not required for the purposes of the amateur astronomer. We shall therefore content ourselves with a very brief mention of each, adding, however, references for the use of those who may desire to know more about them.
The Altazimuth, as its name implies, is for the measurement of altitudes and azimuths. It may be considered as a modification of the ordinary transit instrument, the telescope, circle, and stand of which are capable of motion round a vertical pivot. The altazimuth may therefore be used for meridional or extrameridional observations indifferently, and when of a portable size, may be looked upon as a theodolite of a superior construction.
The Mural Circle consists of a graduated circle furnished with a suitable telescope, and very firmly affixed to a wall (murus) in the plane of the meridian. It is used for determining, with great accuracy, meridian altitudes and zenith distances, from which may be found declinations and polar distances.
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- A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy , pp. 355 - 359Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1861