Volume 1

Atlas geographus: or, a compleat system of geography, ancient and modern / Containing what is most of use in Bleau, Varenius, Cellarius, Cluverius, Baudrand, Brietius, Sanson, &c. With the discoveries and improvements of the best modern authors to this time. Illustrated with about 100 new maps, done from the latest observations, by Herman Moll, geographer. And many other cuts, by the best artists.

  • Moll, Herman, -1732
Date:
1711-1717
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Atlas geographus: or, a compleat system of geography, ancient and modern / Containing what is most of use in Bleau, Varenius, Cellarius, Cluverius, Baudrand, Brietius, Sanson, &c. With the discoveries and improvements of the best modern authors to this time. Illustrated with about 100 new maps, done from the latest observations, by Herman Moll, geographer. And many other cuts, by the best artists. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    129/1070 (page 89)
    The Right Horizon paffes through the Poles of the World, and has its Zenith in the Equator, which it divides at Right Angles, and into equal Parts. The Oblique Horizon has its Zenith betwixt one of the two Poles and the Equator ; fo that one Pole is nearer its Zenith than the other: It cuts the Equator obliquely. The Parallel Horizon has one of the Poles for its Ze¬ nith, and the Equator for its Horizontal Circle. The 3 different Horizons make 3 diffe¬ rent Portions of the Sphere, viz. the Right, Oblique, and Parallel Portion, which are ufeful to explain the different Appearances of the Sun, as to its Riling and Setting, Length of Days, Heat, &c. The Right Sphere has a Right Horizon, becaufe the Equator, Tropics, and Polar Circles, cut the Horizon at Right Angles. This Po- fition belongs to thofe who live under the Equator: They have always their Days and Nights equal, and the Sun is twice a Year perpendicularly over their Heads, viz. the nth of March, and the 12th of Septem¬ ber. All the Stars rife and fet to them, and are the fame Number of Hours above as below the Horizon. The Oblique Sphere has all Oblique Ho¬ rizon ; and all the Circles, as the Equator, Tropics, and the Polar Circles, cut this Horizon at Oblique Angles. It agrees to thofe who live betwixt the Equator and the Poles : They have equal Days and Nights only during the Equinoxes. In the Summer their Days are fhdrter than their Nights, becaufe tne Horizon doth not di¬ vide the Tropics into equal Parts. In this Polition fome Parts of the Heavens are ne¬ ver feen, and fome Parts are always vili- ble. The Parallel Sphere has the Horizon pa¬ rallel to the Equator, and all the Circles and Revolutions are parallel to the Horizon* This Portion agrees to thofe who live un¬ der the Poles, (if there be any fach) and they have only one Day and one Night in the Year of 6 Months each ; because die Sun never riles with them, but at one of the Equinoxes, and fets not till the other. The Axis of the World in this Sphere is perpendicular,one of the Poles the Zenith, and the other the Nadir of the Place. When she Sun enters Ams} he rifes to thofe un¬ der the North Pole, and fets when he enters Libra. The Moon is 1$ Days above their Horizon, and fo many below it ; Saturn 15 Years, and Jupiter 6. From what has been faid, it appears that the Horizon has many Ufes ; 1. l£4ivide$ the World into two Hemifpheres, viz* thofe of the Day and Night. 2. It ILews us the Elevation of the Pole ; for fo many Degrees as the Pole is above the Horizon, fo many Degrees it is faid to be elevated. 3. It fhews us the Place and Time of the Riling and Setting of the Sun, Moon, and Stars j for when they come to the Eaft Part of the Horizon, they are faid to rife ; and when they go below the Weftern Part, they are faid to let. It determines the ending ot the Morning Crepufculum, or Dawning of the Day, which is before the Rinng of the Sun; and of the Evening Crepitfculum, or Twilight, when the Sun is about 18 De¬ grees below the Horizon. This Circle is the Seat of the 4 Cardinal Points, North, South, Eaft, and Weft, which are 90 De¬ grees diftant from each other. The South is the Point the Sun is in when it is Noon : The true Eaft is that Point of the Horizon where the Sun rifes in the time of the Equi¬ noxes : The true Weft is the Point where the Sun fers at the fame time. Thefe Points make 4 Collateral Points, viz. the Place where the Sun rifes in the Summer Solftice, which is N. E and where it rifes in tl e Winter-Solftice, which is S. E. The Place in the Horizon where the Sun fets in Sun » mer, which is N. W. and the Place where t fets in Winter, which is S. W. The Sun’s riling in the N. E. and fettingin the N. W. fliows us that Part of the Tropic of Cancer that is above our Horizon ; and his riling in the S. E. and fettingin the S. W. ftiows his Motion in the Tropic of Capricorn. 7he Zones. The 4 fmall Circles, viz. die two Tro¬ pics, and the Polar Circles,divide the Globs* of the Earth into 5 Parts, call’d Zones by the Ancients, from a Greek Word which lignifies a Girdle. The Space betwixt the Tropics is call’d the Torrid Zone, and is di¬ vided by the Equator into two equal Parts.. The Ancients, becaufe little of the World; was difcoyer’d la their Time, thought the Zone