Charles Henry Davis
Published: 2015-07-27
Total Pages: 392
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Excerpt from Theory of the Motion of the Heavenly Bodies Moving About the Sun in Conic Sections: A Translation of Gauss's Theoria Motus In 1852, a pamphlet, entitled The Computation of an Orbit from Three Complete Observations, was published, under the authority of the Navy Department, for the use of the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac, the object of which was to excerpt from various parts of Gauss's Theoria Motus, and to arrange in proper order the numerous details which combine to form this complicated problem. To these were added an Appendix containing the results of Professor Encke's investigations, Ueber den Ausnah-raefall einer doppellen Bahnbestimmung aus denselben drei geocentrischen Oertcrn (Ab-hundtungen der Akademic der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1848), and also Professor Peirce's Graphic Delineations of the Curves showing geometrically the roots of Gauss's Equation [V. Article 141. After this pamphlet was completed, the opinion was expressed by scientific friends that a complete translation of the Theoria Motus should be undertaken, not only to meet the wants of the American Ephemeris, but those also of Astronomers generally, to whom this work (now become very rare and costly) is a standard and permanent authority. This undertaking has been particularly encouraged by the Smithsonian Institution, which has signified its high estimate of the importance of the work, by contributing to its publication. And by the authority of Hon. J. C. Dobbin, Secretary of the Navy, this Translation is printed by the joint contributions of the Nautical Almanac and the Smithsonian Institution. The notation of Gauss has been strictly adhered to throughout, and the translation has been made as nearly literal as possible. No pains have been spared to secure typographical accuracy. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.