Astronomy for Young Australians

Part 1

Produced by David E. Brown and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from scans of public domain works at The National Library of Australia.)

ASTRONOMY

FOR

YOUNG AUSTRALIANS.

BY JAMES BONWICK, F.R.G.S., AUTHOR OF “GEOGRAPHY OF AUSTRALIA,” ETC., ETC.

MELBOURNE: PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL MULLEN, COLLINS STREET EAST. 1866.

PREFACE

SECOND EDITION.

A cheap edition of the “Astronomy for Young Australians” having been desired, to meet the requirements of the Public Schools of the colonies, Mr. Bonwick respectfully submits the present issue to the favourable attention of Teachers.

ST. KILDA, November 1, 1866.

ASTRONOMY

FOR

YOUNG AUSTRALIANS.

A Fine ship was buffeting the waves, like a strong swimmer in his sport. The clouds dashed wildly to and fro, but left many wide spaces of blue to be dotted with stars. The sea was in high spirits, throwing up spray, as if to quench the bright lights that looked down so kindly upon it.

The vessel quite enjoyed the fun, and her prow bobbed in the current, and gathered up the foam to send it flying up the rigging, or leave it hissing and fuming by her sides. How skittish she was this evening, as the light clouds ran over her head, and the wind puffed her laughingly along! She was young and strong. Her timbers were tight; and her yards well braced. She had just left port, painted and clean, with a new suit of sails, and her copper as bright as a fresh-coined penny.

And where was she going? Laden with the treasures of English cotton and woollen mills, of iron-works, and other industries, she was away to the far-off land of Australia, on the other side of the round globe.

And whom had she got on board? There were sailors to manage the merry ship; there were passengers, going from the white cliffs of old England, to dwell in the gum forests of the kangaroo home.

As the shore of Britain melted away in the distance, men and women hung over the bulwarks, dreaming of sweet vales they left behind, and sighing deeply as they thought of loved ones there. How long would it be before they saw those vales again, or smiled with friends beside that hearth of love!

The love of one’s country, as the land of our friends, the joy of freedom, the defence of the right and true, is a duty as well as a delight. And those born in the new land of Australia should cherish so beautiful and healthful a home, and help to make it happy in the virtues of its people.

One little intelligent fellow, about ten years old, hung closely against his mother’s dress, and caught hold of his father’s hand. James knew his parents must feel sad at leaving dear ones behind; and he inwardly resolved to be a great comfort to them now by being a good, loving son.

The last speck of land was gone, and every body turned round to the ship, preparing to make that a home. Mr. and Mrs. Marple thought of their only child, for others had been left to sleep in a church-yard far away. He was their hope and joy. They determined to add to his happiness, and secure him from the evil of idle ship-life, by improving his time and his mind.

This very evening, therefore, the kind father took James beside him in a quiet corner on deck. They spoke at first of aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. Then a plunge of a porpoise turned their eyes to the sea, or a scream of sea-fowl set them talking of natural history. A sober chat followed, and a moral lesson came.

A sudden unrolling of clouds brought out such a dazzle of starry splendour, that both gazed with delight upon the ever-wondrous heavens. It was then that Mr. Marple determined, among other subjects, to make the boy understand astronomy. This he was to do by leading the lad himself to observe; and, under his direction, to find out the laws of the universe himself.

A few stars were pointed out. There was the North Polar star, that keeps such a constant place. There were the gentle Pleiades. There was the beautiful Belt of Orion to the south. There was, too, though very near the waves to the southward, the bright Dog-star, Sirius.

DAILY MOTION OF THE EARTH.

The following dialogue took place one evening on deck:--

“Well, my little fellow, what is there which so attracts your attention? for you have scarcely moved for this last half-hour.

I have been looking at the stars, father.

Part 2

What is so wonderful in them this evening?

There is something wonderful in them which I never noticed before.

What is that?

I will tell you. When I first came upon deck after tea, I saw a bright star rising like as if it came out of the water. While looking at its pretty light, it seemed to get higher and higher up the sky.

Did it run away from the other stars, and get a head of them?

No. But I thought it did at first, until I had watched, and then I found that the stars around about kept at the same distance from my bright star, and appeared to keep company with it while climbing the sky.

And what else did you see?

Afterwards I thought I would watch the beautiful Sirius. This seemed to be moving on, too. Then I looked at others. But they all appeared to be rolling along after one another.

What do you make of all this?

I can make nothing of it.

What puzzles you, my boy?

Several things. I cannot understand where all the stars are rolling to, why they all keep together so cleverly in their motion, or why they are moving at all.

Did you see any stars setting as well as rising?

Yes, father.

Well, as I want you to find out this subject yourself, I shall allow you to stay up later this evening, to give you time to make a few more observations. Now, follow your bright star a little further. Look at that blue one overhead, and trace his journey. Have your eyes upon Sirius, and the band of Orion.

I will, father, and thank you.”

* * * * *

The boy was left at his star-gazing, and intently was his mind fixed upon his work. It was no vacant stare he gave at the heavens. He had an object before him.

The conversation was afterwards renewed by the father:--

“I should think you were sleepy, James.

No, father: the stars kept my eyes open.

How, now, does your star get on?

Look up there. He has got as far as that.

Where is the blue-coloured one?

O, that has gone down to the western edge.

What of my old friend Sirius, and his neighbour Orion?

They have been travelling the same road.

Well, you must stop star-gazing to-night.

Part 3

But will you not explain the reason of this curious motion, my dear father, before I go down?

No, my lad, you must have another look at the stars to-morrow evening first.”

The little fellow retired slowly and thoughtfully to his berth; and dreamed of stars and ships in mingled confusion. How he longed for the sun to leave off his shining! He never watched that orb so as he did that day! He saw it rise, ascend, descend, and set. When the short twilight was over, the little twinkling bodies came out one by one, as a few western clouds changed from gorgeous red to colours of a darker hue. He first distinguished Sirius, and then the band of Orion. The blue star took some time to come forth; but when it did, there it was right overhead, as it had been early the last evening. The bright star was again on the tip of the distant waves. He stared again. He remembered how he had left them all the night before, and now the stars seemed in their old places again. His kind father came up to him.

“O, father,” cried the boy, “all my stars have gone back into their places again this evening.

Did you see them travel back as you saw them travel forward?

No. But there they are, though I do not know how they got there.

I think I saw you looking pretty often at the sun, to-day. Did you notice anything peculiar about his movements?

Yes. I noticed that he seemed to go the same road as my stars did the evening before.

But you saw him ascend in the east, rise nearly overhead, and then set in the west. You did not observe your stars do that.

No, father; but I have it. It took a long while for the sun to go all that distance; and I fancy that if I had watched my bright star as long, I should have seen that set in the west also.

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