Archimedes Texts

274
distances, the mutations, or if you please corrections, of a ve
ry few minutes, removeth the star a very great way farther off.
As for example, in the first of these workings, where the calcu
lation made the star 60. semidiameters remote from the centre,
with the Parallax of 2. minutes; he that would maintain that it
was in the Firmament, is to correct in the observations but onely
two minutes, nay lesse, for then the Parallax ceaseth, or be
commeth so small, that it removeth the star to an immense di
stance, which by all is received to be the Firmament. In the se
cond indagation, or working, the correction of lesse than 4 m.
prim. doth the same. In the third, and fourth, like as in the first,
two minutes onely mount the star even above the Firmament.
In the last preceding, a quarter of a minute, that is 15. seconds,
gives us the same. But it doth not so occur in the sublunary alti
tudes; for if you fancy to your self what distance you most
like, and go about to correct the workings made by the Au
thour, and adjust them so as that they all answer in the same
determinate distance, you will find how much greater correcti
ons they do require.

SAGR. It cannot but help us in our fuller understanding of
things, to see some examples of this which you speak of.

SALV. Do you assign any whatsoever determinate sublunary
distance at pleasure in which to constitute the star, for with small
ado we may assertain our selves whether corrections like to these,
which we see do suffice to reduce it amongst the fixed stars, will
reduce it to the place by you assigned.

SAGR. To take a distance that may favour the Authour, we
will suppose it to be that which is the greatest of all those found
by him in his 12 workings; for whilst it is in controversie be
tween him and Astronomers, and that they affirm the star to
have been superiour to the Moon, and he that it was inferiour,
very small space that he proveth it to have been lower, giveth
him the victory.

SALV. Let us therefore take the seventh working wrought
upon the observations of Tycho and Thaddæus Hagecius, by
which the Authour found the star to have been distant from the
centre 32. semidiameters, which situation is most favourable to
his purpose; and to give him all advantages, let us moreover
place it in the distance most disfavouring the Astronomers, which
is to situate it above the Firmament. That therefore being sup
posed, let us seek in the next place what corrections it would be ne
cessary to apply to his other 11 workings. And let us begin at the
first calculated upon the observations of Hainzelius and Mauroice;
in which the Authour findeth the distance from the centre about
3. semidiameters with the Parallax of 4 gr. 42 m. 30. sec. Let