[A set of 6 Astronomical copperplate engravings].

A set of 6 engravings by J. Mynde from "Ferguson's "Astronomy Explained upon Sir Isaac Newton's Principles. ."
[Plate 1] 'The Solar System'.
[Plate 2] 'The Transit of Venus'.
[Plate 3] Untitled, but showing 'the Visible Path of Venus on the Sun's Disc'.
[Plate 4] Untitled, but a 'Concise View of the Seasons, shown in Another View of Earth, Summer Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Autumnal Equinox, Winter Solstice.'
[Plate 5] Untitled, but 'Of the ebbing and flowing of the sea'.
[Plate 6] Untitled, but 'The Eclipsareon. This Mechanism exhibits the Time, Quantity, Duration, and Progress of Solar Eclipses, at all Parts of the Earth.'

Astronomy explained upon Sir Isaac Newton’s principles… is a substantial publication with twenty-two chapters, including ‘A brief description of the solar system’, ‘The phenomena of the heavens as seen from different parts of the Earth’, ‘The physical causes of the motions of the planets’, ‘The method of finding the distances of the sun’, ‘Of the precision of the equinoxes’, ‘The moon’s surface mountains’, ‘Of the ebbing and flowing of the sea’, ‘Of the fixed stars’ and ‘Of the division of time’, amongst others. The book also contains a number of fold-out plates, the engravings depicting, in intricate detail, Ferguson’s inventions, such as the Venus orrery.
Plates of the solar system, the paths of Mercury and Venus, the duration of moon-light at the Poles and the movement of the tides are also included.

James Ferguson (1710 – 1776) was a Scottish astronomer. He is known as the inventor and improver of astronomical and other scientific apparatus, as a striking instance of self education and as an itinerant lecturer

Reference: collections@adelaide.edu.au.