An account of the discoveries concerning comets, with the way to find their orbits, and some improvements in constructing and calculating their places. For which reason are here added new tables, fitted to those purposes; particularly with regard to that comet which is soon expected to return / [Thomas Barker].

  • Barker, Thomas, 1722-1809.
Date:
1757
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of the discoveries concerning comets, with the way to find their orbits, and some improvements in constructing and calculating their places. For which reason are here added new tables, fitted to those purposes; particularly with regard to that comet which is soon expected to return / [Thomas Barker]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    CONCERNING CoO Mee Ts: “4 HOUGH the ancients knew little of the ufe of conick fections, * -in’comparifon of what has been difcovered within thefe laft hundred: and fifty years, yet they applied’ them felves to the ftudy of their properties, and thereby prepared the way for’ the readier applying them to the ufes lately found out. If thofe who at that time employed themfelves in making aftronomical obfervations, had been as careful in attending to the motion of comets, which do not require fuch ‘depth of thought as abftrufe mathematical problems; though they knew too little then of the principles of motion to have found out their real path, yet probably we fhould not have been fo much at a lofs, as we {till are, as to their periods 5 but, by comparing their motions in different returns, even though the _obfervations had been but grofs, might have arrived to a confiderable per- fection inthe aftronomy of comets. But as moft of their periods feem to be very long, and it is but a little while that their motions have been careful- ly watched, it may be fome ages yet, before we.get any great. knowledge about them. Moft of the ancients, being of Ariftotle’s opinion, “that comets were only inflamed vapours, raifed, continuing, and difperfed in our atmofphere, took little further. notice of them than as omens, often | _ mentioning neither the time of ‘year, or place they were feen in; and -unlefs oth are known, we can neither find their orbit, nor Compare them with that of any known comet. Seneca indeed, and fome others whom