Synopsis
"An Introduction To The True Astronomy: Or, Astronomical Lectures Read In The Astronomical School Of The University Of Oxford" by John Keill surveys an 18th-century program of astronomy instruction that blends theory with computation and instrumentation. It locates the Copernican system within an experimental tradition, using dense geometry, trigonometry, tables, and worked examples to derive ephemerides, calendars, and celestial tables. Core topics include time and calendars (apparent versus mean solar time, equation of time, obliquity, Meton cycles, Gregorian reform), planetary theory and ephemerides (heliocentric and geocentric positions, eccentricity, ellipses, mean and true anomalies, orbital elements), and Halley’s and others’ methods for locating stations, conjunctions, and true positions. The text also covers projection and geometry (orthographic projections, projected ellipses, parallelograms), instrumented teaching with globes and quadrants, and extensive reference tables and epochs. Interleaved problem sets (PROBLEM I–XVI) and worked numerical examples, including Jupiter’s station, illustrate computation and observation. The volume concludes with an appendix on globes and an index, aimed at students and practitioners of astronomy.
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