A la Conquête du Ciel! Contributions Astronomiques de F. C. de Nascius, en Quinze Livres

Abstract

M. F. C. DE NASCIUS has favoured us from time to time with copies of his astronomical contributions, which are to extend when complete to fifteen volumes. Since each volume consists of numerous parts, it will be easily understood that no inconsiderable task awaits the reader who aspires to a complete mastery of the author's methods and teaching. Only one small part of the second volume lies before us, but we confess that we are utterly unable to comprehend its purpose or to do justice to the ingenuity that apparently underlies its construction. The general conception seems to be remotely connected with Bode's law, but is far more difficult of apprehension, for with this is connected a discussion of the “triangle of divine harmony,” while over the whole hovers a bewildering but awe-inspiring theme which is expressed as algorithmic. It will, perhaps, be sufficient to say that the object of the author, if object he has, is by some simple manipulation of figures to produce quantities that shall approximate to various astronomical constants, such as the periods and distances of the planets. For example, he sets out to establish or reproduce the period of sunspots, which he gives at 11.11 years. The triangle of divine harmony is, we are assured, admirably adapted for this species of discussion. This triangle happens, fortunately, to be right-angled, and two sides have the values 69 and 17.89. There is a good deal about the number 69, which we are very solemnly assured is equal to 64 + 5, and it is no doubt entirely one's own fault if he fails to correctly apprehend its true significance, but 17.89 seems to be introduced here for the first time, at least in this volume, and one may be excused if he fails to perceive its actual bearing. Our author handles these quantities in the following way. The area of the divine triangle is first found, this is then doubled to get a parallelogram, and the side of a square found the area of which is equal to the tenth part of that parallelogram. This side has for its numerical value 11.110! and the author congratulates himself on his success.