Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/213

 to believe that among all those Ingenuous Arts and Sciences, which have put themselves under their Patronage, and look for an improvement from their Industry, the Celestial are not to be accounted the last. Their Excellent History shews, that they have not neglected the Heavens. And their endeavours for the Improvement of Optick Glasses, and Encouragement of such as labour therein, do more than obscurely indicate those high respects they have for the Sublimest of Human Sciences, Astronomy.

These considerations invited me to address myself, with these my following labours, to your Honor, who hold so high at place in that illustrious Body, and are known to excel in the knowledge as well, as the Love of that Science, I stand ingaged in. You know, My lord, How much it conduceth to the Advancement of Astronomy, and the Correction of our Canons, to have the Celestial Appearances accurately observed, and how much it concerns the Observer to have notice of what Phænomena the Heavens exhibit convenient for his Observation. I have endeavoured in the following pages to accommodate him with the Calculations of such of the more notable Phænomena of the Year 1670,, as will be conspicuous in the English Horizon, if the Heavens be clear; and shall, God willing, performe the like for future Years, if I may be but encouraged by the acceptance of these

I was excited to this task by perusing the Mercurius in Sole visus of the Excellent Hevelius, who hath oblieged Astronomy by his accurate Observations of the Moons transits by and over Saturne, and her occultations of Spica Virginis, and the Clara in fronte Scorpii. I saw nothing to hinder Us from performing as much, since we cannot want instruments, at least, as good as His, if we had but the like industry, and notice also of the time, when the Appearances would present themselves. Though I was not furnish't with very fit Instruments, yet hoping, that I might do somewhat worth my labour, I revolv'd Mr. Wings Ephemerides for this year, to find, what Stars the Moon might cover, and how often, in her Revolution. Those Occultations, which I collected might be conspicuous, I re-calculated from the exactest Tables, I know in