N00277:223
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. 1680. The motion of the Comet which appeared this year, was diligently followed by ⟨p. 123⟩the Ingenious Mr. John Foster, the late Printer in Boston in New-England. And though he be gone (not without a public loss by his death and the sorrow of many) it being mentioned amongst evil Omens, that the cunning Artificer shall be taken away) he hath left behind him, some of his Observations concerning this Comet. It was first here taken notice of Nov. 14. at 5. h. A.M. near 18 Degrees of Libra. 1 Gr. and 30. min. Lat. Austral. Nov. 19. It was within a Degree of Spica Virginis, directing its course Northward about 40. min. Several Mornings after that were cloudy here in Boston, and not long after it was in conjunction with the Sun, so that it was seen no more in the Morning. It was then conjectured that within a few days it would appear in the Evening, and so it did Dec. 10. when only the Blaze and not the Star was to us visible. December 12. Its Blaze appeared very red and fiery, extending as far as the breast of the Swan. Dec. 14. its head was first discerned, the Blaze passing to the North-ward of Cor Aquilae. Dec. 16▪ its appearance was very terrible, the Blaze ascended above 60 Degrees almost to its Zenith, growing continually broader from the head, and was brightest on both ends, especially on the South side, the middle considerably darker then either of the sides. Jan. 8. Gave the fairest opportunity to find its true place and parallax, by its approach to a fixed Star of the third Magnitude, in the ⟨p. 124⟩right shoulder of Andromeda. At 6. h. 5. m. it was 28. m. distant from that Star. At 50. m. past 6. its distance was 25. m. At 10. h. 5. m. The Comet passing by the said Star, left it 12. m. Southward. Its visible hourly motion was 6. m. direct, which if compared with its daily motion, we shall find it little (if at all) retarded by reason of its Parallax, which is an evidence of its vast distance from the Earth. For if it had not been much higher then the Moon, its true motion would have far exceeded its visible. About the middle of February, it vanished out of our sight.
A▪D. 1680. The motion of the Comet which appeared this year, was diligently followed by ⟨p. 123⟩