Astronomy

Backround
Hypotheses:
I guess that the 17th century and the 18th century where very similar in ideas and
understandings when it came to astronomy.
A: The ideas and understanding changed quite dramatically in the changing of the
century, between the 17th and 18th century. The 18th century heralded a new era of
enquiry, observation and experimentation. It was the age of enlightenment, and age of
light and reason, when the perceived darkness of the medieval society had passed,
authority, stability and tradition where no longer as important. In the 17th century the
primary idea was ‘truth’, whereas in the 18th century it was ‘nature’, and an essential
difference was that nature could be investigated and observed, with new discoveries
made.

Questions:
Q. Why was space exploration so important in the 18th century?
A.

Q. What discoveries did Isaac Newton make in the 18th century and when did he make
most of his discoveries?
A.

James Cook – The Astronomer

Hypotheses:
I guess that James Cook was first acknowledged for his expedition to “The Great
South Land” (Australia).
A: James Cook was first acknowledged as a navigator in Canada, for his charting of
the St Lawrence River and the mapping of the difficult coast of Newfoundland. It was
not until much later did he leave for his expedition to “The Great South Land”.

Questions:
Q. What was James Cook when he was first noted, and for what work?
A. James Cook was a navigator when he was first noted, and was noted for his work
in Canada, charting and mapping.

Q. Who did James Cook work with on the Venus expedition?

A. Cook conducted the telescopic observations on the transit of Venus with a man by
the name of Charles Green. Charles green died during the expedition.

Q. How did Dr. John Bevis describe James Cook after comparing Cooks observations
of the August 1766 solar eclipse with those taken at Oxford?
A. Dr John Bevis described James Cook as “a good mathematician and very expert in
his business’.
Observations
Hypotheses:
I guess that there where only a couple of main observations in the 18th century
endeavour expedition.
A:

Questions:
Q. Why was the transit of Venus needed to discover the distance the Earth was from
the Sun?
A.

Q: What exactly are sunspots?

A.

Important Instruments
Hypotheses:
I think that the main observation instrument would have been the telescope in the 18th
century.
A:

Questions:
Q. What where the two different types of telescopes?
A.

Q. What where the names of the clocks used?

A.

Q. What are the meanings of the following; Azimuth , Rack-and –Pinion.

A. Azimuth – Compass angle in the horizontal plane, usually measured eastwards
from the north point – north is 0 degrees, east is 90 degrees, south is 180 degrees, and
so on.
Rack-and-Pinion – Mechanical gearing system often used for the focusing of a
telescope or microscope, consisting of a straight gear (the rack) on which a circular
gear (the pinion) turns, moving the tube containing the eyepiece relative to the
objective of the instrument.