Excerpt from The Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Ephemeris for the Year 1804 I {hall now offer fome Remarks on Mr. Mayer's mean Motions of the Sun and Moon, thofe of the Moon being taken the fame in Mr. Mason's Tables, and propol'e a (mall Correétion of them, as Well as of the Lon itudes and Latitudes of the fixt Stars. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Astronomical Papers Prepared for the Use of the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac, 1882, Vol. 1 It is well known to all astronomers who have given attention to the subject that meridian observations of the moon and planets are not completely represented by any of the existing tables, and that the deviation of prediction from observation is constantly increasing. It is true that, so far as the current requirements of astronomy are concerned, the state of the case may be considered as not unsatisfactory. Not only may the planets be found and eclipses predicted for many years to come by the present tables, but, with the exception of the moon, there is every reason to suppose that the tabular positions will serve the purposes for which they are immediately re quired in navigation and practical astronomy. But when we take a wider view and consider the general wants of science both now and in the future, we find that in the increasing discordance between theory and observation there is a field which greatly needs to be investigated. If mutual gravitation according to the law of newton is the only cause which changes the motions of the planets, then it is mathematically possible to construct tables which shall represent observations with the last degree of precision and through any period of time. It is quite possible that the discordances alluded to proceed solely from the imperfections in the mathematical theory, and do not indicate any unknown cause affecting the celestial motions. But when we investigate more closely, and seek to ascertain the cause of such discordances, we find a state of things which renders it impossible to draw any definite conclusions respecting the ultimate possibility of rep resenting observations by existing physical and mathematical theories. This state of things has its origin in the comparative brevity of the period during which accurate observations have been made, and in the difficulty of conducting, on a systematic plan, mathematical investigations having in view the perfection of astronomy. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Astronomical Papers Prepared for the Use of the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac, Vol. 5: Part III, Action of the Planets on the Moon The changes indicated by this formula were made in the mean longitude Of han sen's lunar tables, and the Observations up to the year 1863 show that the corrected motion agrees remarkably well with the fact. The simple way in which this agree ment was brought about would seem to point very strongly to the theoretical correct ness Of the proposed change. Yet the most rigid examination into the subject has failed to Show the possibility Of any error in hansen's result. Meanwhile an independent test Of the constancy Of the Earth's axis Of rotation has been made through the discussion Of the Observed transits of Mercury, published in the first volume Of the present series. The results of this test were inconclusive, in that, while it seemed proved very clearly that the apparent inequalities in the motion of the Moon were not wholly due to changes in the Earth's rotation, yet such changes were indicated in a somewhat inconclusive way, having a certain general analogy to those previously inferred from the motion of the Moon, though much smaller in amount, and therefore not very certain. What is most remarkable in this connection is that a study Of the motions Of the Moon, Mercury, and the first satellite Of Jupiter all agree in indicating that, during some years previous to 1863, there was an increase in the speed Of the rotation Of the Earth which, however, rapidly subsided about that epoch. Added importance was thus given to the theoretical side Of the question. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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