N00277:215
Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired…
Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired into: with an historical account of all the comets which have appeared from the beginning of the world unto this present year, M.DC.LXXXIII. : Expressing the place in the heavens, where they were seen, their motion, forms, duration; and the remarkable events which have followed in the world, so far as they have been by learned men observed. : As also two sermons occasioned by the late blazing stars. / By Mr. Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]Kometographia. Or A discourse concerning comets; wherein the nature of blazing stars is enquired into: with an historical account of all the comets which have appeared from the beginning of the world unto this present year, M.DC.LXXXIII. : Expressing the place in the heavens, where they were seen, their motion, forms, duration; and the remarkable events which have followed in the world, so far as thay have been by learned men observed. : As also two sermons occasioned by the late blazing stars. / By Mr. Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]
printed by S.G. for S.S. i.e, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A.D. 1664. A famous Comet was conspicuous to the whole World this year. Many have published their Sentiments concerning it. A Reverend and worthy Person bamongst our selves ⟨p. 114⟩(who is now ascended above the Stars) hath left us his observations about the motions of this Comet as by himself taken notice of. But no man hath done it with greater accuracy then Hevelius, who being singularly advantaged with the best Mathematical Instruments which the World can afford to make discoveries of this nature. cReports that it was observed by him in Dantzick, Decemb. 14. S T. N. About 5 h. A.M. in the 8. Degree of Libro, the head of a somewhat yellowish colour, affording a dull and dim light, never so vivid and splendid as the true Stars or Planets appear with, in the very middle of which one might perceive a more clear shining body, whose diameter was about four Minutes, environed with a thinner Body of 12. Minutes, whose light was more dim But when observed with a long Telescope, one might see that the Star in the midst of the head of the Comet, did not consist of one clot only, but of many particles, some of which were more compact and lucid, others more thin and obscure. As the subtle matter observed about the small particles like Nuts in the body of the Comet, was condensed, the head grew bigger, so as that December 20. it was observed to comprehend 24 Minutes, and in the midst of it a most lucid and thick clot, of a fiery colour, which was compassed about with matter, some of which was ⟨p. 115⟩more rare, some more dense, intermixed with lesser Nuts o• Stars. In the beginning of January, that thick and lucid Clot began to attenuate, and break away, whence the head of the Comet was diminished, that January 6. it seemed to contain but 8 Minutes, January 22. The form of the Comet was not exactly round, but seemed to be rough and broken, and in some places pointing out more then in other places. As for the true magnitude of the Comet, it was at first about six times as big as the Earth, after it was diminished in January, it was again augmented in February. It did not always keep the same distance from the Earth. The Parallax was 59. sec. In the midst of its appearance, when the motion was most swift about 4. m. and at last but 16. sec. So that at first it was distant from the Earth 3500. S.T. in the midst 1000 And February 4. 1200. S. T.