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basis for calculation, and he was satisfied that this diameter did not shift his landmarks to any extent which he could detect. This gave 22" for the sun's horizontal parallax, and with careful calculation that of the moon was found to be 56' 23." Repeated observations left no doubt in his mind about the correctness of his figures. Besides, here was an authority from Sruti itself. . Taking 72000 yojanas for the true diameter of the sun, the distance of the sun from the earth was found to be between 105 and 106 times the sun's diameter. In other words, the distances of the sun and the moon are 9510 and 61 radii of the earth respectively (VIII. & XIX. 49). The introduction is brought to a close with another topic well-known even to the boys of our elementary schools. It is about the movement of the earth, which Chandrasekhara does not admit. It is curious no doubt to hear a man given to astronomy, maintaining with all seriousness an idea which mankind has learnt to repudiate since the days of Copernicus, And there are men who, talking glibly of the earth's move- ments, thought that his calculations could not possibly come Lately be learnt that Earopean astronomers find the sun's horizon. tal parallux to be about 8", and that of the moon 56' 40". Rut le boa found no reasons for correcting bio figures, He says, the difference between the parallaxes of the son and the moon amount* to 56' 33" According to European astronomy, while he foods 50' 6" giving results agreeing with observation. Now, if the difference were changed by 28", an annular eclipse would be changed into a partial, a partial into an annular, and a total into a "touching" one, 2102 Digitized by Google
