Academia scientiarum, or, The academy of sciences being a short and easie introduction to the knowledge of the liberal arts and sciences, with the names of those famous authors that have written on every particular science : in English and Latine / by D. Abercromby ...

Sect. VII. Cosmography.

COsmography is a Description of the World, and its chief Parts..

The World is the Highest Heaven, and whatever it contains, it is divided into the Sublunary Region, and the Coe∣lestial: The Sublunary Region is ob∣noxious to divers Changes, and is con∣tained in the concave surface of the Orb of the Moon: It contains the four Ele∣ments, the Earth, the Water, the Air, the Fire.

The Semi-diametre of the Earth con∣tains about 3436 Italian miles.

The ordinary depth of the Sea is 500 Geometrical paces.

The Surface of the Earth is almost equal to the Surface of the Sea, and somewhat higher, because we see that Ri∣vers from their first rise to the Sea go always downwards.

The Divines think that the Earth was entirely round, and surrounded with Waters on all sides, but after God had commanded the Waters to retreat, so many Hills were made as there are Con∣cavities to receive the Seas.

The Coelestial Region is that part of the World which is extended from the concave surface of the Heaven of the Moon, to the convex surface of the Highest Heaven; which space compre∣hends the Heavens of all the Stars.

Astronomers distinguish three sorts of Spheres; the first is streight, when the Equator maketh streight angles with the Horizon; the second is oblique, when the Intersection of the Horizon and Equator makes oblique angles; the third is the Parallel Sphere, when the Equa∣tor and the Horizon are joyned together.

Astronomers conceive ten Points, and ten chief Circles in the concave superficies of the first Mobile: The Points are the two Poles of the World, the two Poles of the Zodiack, the two Equinoctial, and two Solsticial Points, Zenith and Nadir.

The Circles are the Horizon, Meri∣dian, Equator, Zodiack, the Colures of the Equinox, and the Colures of the Solstice. The Cancer and Capricorne, the Arctick and Antarctick circles; by Zenith and Nadir we understand two points, the first directly answering to our Heads, and the second to our Feet.

Astronomers fancy divers Motions in the Heavens: the Primum Mobile turns round with it all the other Orbs in 24 hours. They allow to the other Hea∣vens under the first Mobile a motion of Libration from the North to the South, and from the South to the North.

The Eclipse of the Moon is a real pri∣vation of its light, by the interposition of the Earth between it and the Sun. The Eclipse of the Sun is not a real pri∣vation of light, because the Sun E∣clips'd, is only hid from our eyes by the interposition of the Moon.

All the Eclipses of the Moon are uni∣versal, or seen by all such as see the Moon; all the Eclipses of the Sun are

Particular ones, or not seen by every one that sees the Sun.

There are five Zones, one Torrid, two Temperate, and two Cold ones. The torrid Zone is comprehended be∣tween the two Tropicks; its breadth is 47 degrees, if we reckon according to the common Calcul 23 ½ on each side of the Equator; the two tempe∣rate Zones are contain'd between the Tropicks and the Polar Circles, whereof one is South, and the other North; the breadth of both is 43 degrees. The cold Zones are contain'd within the Polar Circles, distant from the Poles of the World 23 degrees ½.

Authors.

Peter Aerte his World, in five Vol. Herigone, Garcy, Adrianus Metius.