Textbook on Spherical Astronomy by W. M. SMART Regina Professor of Astronomy in the University of Glasgow 1937-59, formerly John Couch Adams ‘Astronomer in the University of Cambridge Sixth edition revised by R. M. GREEN Lecturer in Astronomy, University of Glasgow CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE LONDON * NEW YORK‘ NEW ROCHELLE MELBOURNE‘ SYDNEYPublished by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge ‘Tho Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP 32 East 57th Stroet, New York, NY 10022, USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakloigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia This edition © Cambridge University Press 1977 First edition 1931 Second edition 1936 ‘Third edition 1940 Fourth edition 1944 Reprinted 1947 1949 1956 1960 Fifth edition 1962 Roprinted 1965 1971 Sixth edition 1977 Reprinted 1986 Printed in Great Britain at the University Press, Cambridge Library of Congrees Cataloguing in Publication Data ‘Smart, William Marshall, 1889- ‘Text-book on spherical astronomy. Includes index. 1, Astronomy, Spherical and practical. I. Green, Robin Michael, 1937- II. Title. QB145.86 1977 622".7 76-50643, ISBN 0 521 21516 1 hard covers ISBN 0 521 29180 1 paperback (Fifth edition ISBN 0 521 06491 0 hard covers ISBN 0 521 09159 4 paporback)PREFACE ryHIs BOOK is based on lectures given annually in the University of Cambridge and on a parallel course of in- struction in Practical Astronomy at the Observatory. The recent changes in the almanacs have, in many respects, affected the position of the older textbooks as channels of information on current practice, and the present work is intended to fill the gap caused by modern developments. In addition to the time- honoured problems of Spherical Astronomy, the book contains the essential discussion of such important subjects as helio- graphic co-ordinates, proper motions, determination of position at sea, the use of photography in precise astronomical measure- ments and the orbits of binary stars, all or most of which have received little attention in works of this kind. In order to make certain subjects as complete as possible, I have not hesitated to cross the traditional frontiers of Spherical Astronomy. This is specially the case as regards the spectroscopic determination of radial velocity which is considered, the physical principles being assumed, in relation to such problems as solar parallax, the solar motion and the orbits of spectroscopic binary stars. Throughout, only the simplest mathematical tools have been used and considerable attention has been paid to the diagrams illustrating the text. I have devoted the first chapter to the proofs and numerical applications of the formulae of spherical trigonometry which form the mathematical foundation of the subsequent chapters. Although other formulae have been given for reference, I have limited myself to the use of the basic formulae only. A writer of a textbook on Spherical Astronomy cannot avoid a certain measure of detailed reference to the principal astro- nomical instruments and, accordingly, general descriptions of instruments have been given in the appropriate places, usually with a simple discussion of the chief errors which must be taken into account in actual observational work. In numerical applications, the almanac for 1931 has been used. As regards notation, I have usually followed the recommenda- tions of the International Astronomical Union, but I have made