New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-18
THE DAWN OF ASTRONOMY

1t Is conceded that alchemy was the parent Of
chemistry, and 1t Is common belief that astro-
ogy sustained the same relation TO astronomy
So excellent authority as the late Richard
Proctor may be cited in support of that con-
lecture. In the Middle Ages, and even before
the Christian era, the two were so closely as
ISOLATED as TO be almost indiStinguishable from
each other But during the last three or four
centuries astronomy has differentiated itself so
conSpicuOusly, by its vigorous development and
otherwise as to encourage the view that il Is
astrology's offspring. In the February number
of Knowledge" however E. Walter Maunder
offers reasons for doubling the current theory.
and assigns to astronomy the greater antiquity
Mr.. Maunder is a member of the staff of the
Greenwich Observatory, was recently president
of the British Astronomical Association, and is
now Editor of the we'll known periodical which
Mr.. Proctor founded. The caution and conserv-
atism that always characterize his utterances
dispose the readers of knowledge" to regard
with favor any fresh opinion that he may ex-
press, and in the present instance 1t will be
found that he makes out a strong If not a con-
vincing case.
In the modern acceptation of these terms
astronomy" stands for mans knowledge of
the stars, their size, distance motions and COM
position and "astrology" for the influence real
affairs, the positions and aspects of these OBJ
jects affOrding the basis for forecastlng coming
events. Mr. Maunder holds, therefore, that
omy, and that astrology, being based on astron-
omy, must have followed 1t In the course OF
evolution. The hypothesis appears more tenable
when one remembers that in casting horoscope
the astroOger had for his starting point the
planets, not the fixed stars and that only in
comparatively recent times has the difference
between them been clearly recognized. The
astrolOger had his "Zodiacal signs" to be sure.
but these were not brought up to date from
time to time, so that the names might fit the
actual consultations. 1t looks as if he had
borrowed them from the astronomer, and from
the astronomer of an earlier period of history
than his own.
The first really systematic and intelligent
scrutiny of the skies at night must have shown
the observer that the stars did not change their
positions with reference to one another and
that some prominent stars were to be seen at
one season of the year and others at another
When this immensely significant discovery had
been made, it became important to watch for
the appearance of particular stars in a spe-
citlc quarter, like the east just before dawn
Thus the "heliCal rising of star became
matter of close observation and careful
record. Moreover. to avoid mistakes in iden-
tifcatiOn, general mapping of celestial geog-
raphy became necessary Possibly as a further
means of distinguishing one star from others of
equal brightness. edifces may have been so
constructed TO admit beam of light only
once or twice a year. Other signs of the
changing seasons might prove illusory but this
could not deceive
The charts of the heavens derived through the
Greeks from MesOpOtamia must have been COM
peted about 1000 r. c. In the work of map-
ping, however, one region was left unrepre-
scented. and ii is now known that at the time
indicated this particular region in the vicin-
ity of the southern pole of the heavens and
hence invisible along the Tigris and the Eu-
pirates In Mr.. Maunder's Judgment therefore
astronomy dates back 1000 years at least and
probably further. The beginnings of astrology
are determined in a similar manner Owing to
the procession of the eQulnoxes, the position Of
the sun at the vernal equinox Is continually
changing. The primitive sign OF the astrologers
Zodacal schedule Is Aries. and the sun entered
Aries at the equinox about 1900 B. c. Conse-
Quently Mr. Maunder believes that aStrology rs
a complete system, could not have had an
earlier existence than this while at must al
most certainly have arisen many centuries
later"