"He telleth the number of the Stars, and calleth them all by their names. THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE HEAVENS, AND CLASS-BOOK OF ASTRONOMY: ACCOMPANIED BY A CELESTIAL ATLAS. BY ELIJAH II. BURRITT, A.M. GREATLY ENLARGED, REVISED AND ILLUSTRATED, BY H. MATTISON, A. M. NEW AND REVISED EDITION. NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 596 BROADWAY, KD 170 HARVARD COLLEGE Nov. 22, 193 Tufts College Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by In Lue Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for th. Southern 20546. 63 B9 1856 ALVORD, PRINTER. PREFACE. THE rapid progress of the science of astronomy, for the last. few years, has again rendered it necessary to revise the Geography of the Heavens a work, the popularity of which is sufficiently proved by a sale of 300,000 copies. The editor has, therefore, availed himself of the occasion to make such improvements, both in the book and maps, as seemed to be demanded by the progress of the science, and the most approved methods of instruction. Among these improvements we may mention the following: 1. The matter of the book has been thoroughly assorted; the most important paragraphs being printed in large type, and numbered, as in most modern text-books; while that which seemed in the main explanatory of the more important portions, is left in small print. By this means an agreeable variety is afforded to the eye, while the book is made to contain far more matter, and is, consequently, far more complete, than it could otherwise have been. 2. A new set of Questions has been prepared throughout. These are brief, topical and suggestive; and numbered to answer to the paragraphs to which they relate. 3. A complete list of Telescopic Objects in each constellation has been inserted; giving the Right Ascension and Declination of each object; with a brief description of it; and easy landmarks and directions by which it may be found; and references to telescopic views of the same in the new maps. The color and relative magnitude of the components of the double stars, are also given. These Telescopic Objects, compiled with great labor from Smyth's Cycle of Celestial Ojects, will be found especially Valuable to all institutions having an equatorial telescope Indeed, they greatly enhance the value of the work for all classes of students. 4. Several small constellations that were delineated on the maps, but were not described in former editions of the book, have been described, and their history given in the present edition. 5. The page of the book has been greatly enlarged, for the double purpose of printing more matter and in larger type: and to afford scope for wood-cut illustrations. Of these, great numbers have been introduced into the second part of the work, adapting it, in this respect also, to the wants of both teacher and student. 6. Still further to illustrate the second part of the work, the first map of the atlas has been re-drawn and re-engraved, so as to illustrate more and better than the old map. 7. Two entirely new maps have been introduced into the Atlas, containing views of eighty different celestial objects; such as Double Stars, Clusters, Nebulæ, Comets, &c. These are all referred to in the book, and in turn refer from the objects back to the page of the book where they are described. These maps and the corresponding descriptions in the book will be found not only extremely interesting, but of incalculable value to the student. 8. A chapter on the history, structure and use of Telescopes, Transit Instruments, &c., has been introduced-a subject which every student of astronomy should understand, but one to which no attention was given in the previous editions. Such are some of the principal new features of the present edition-larger type, new questions, telescopic objects, new maps, new matter, and numerous illustrations, making it the most perlect and complete text-book of astronomy ever offered to the American public. New York, July 1866. H. MATTISON |