As the places of the stars were known, Flamsteed was thus
able to obtain the places of the planets. This is substantially the
way in which astronomers of the present day still proceed when they
desire to determine the places of the planets, inasmuch as, directly
or indirectly those places are always obtained relatively to the
fixed stars. By his observations at this early period, Flamsteed
was, it is true, not able to obtain any great degree of accuracy; he
succeeded, however, in proving that the tables by which the places of
the planets were ordinarily given were not to be relied upon.
[PLATE: FLAMSTEED.]
Flamsteed's labours in astronomy and in the allied branches of
science were now becoming generally known, and he gradually came to
correspond with many distinguished men of learning. One of the first
occasions which brought the talents of the young astronomer into fame
was the publication of some calculations concerning certain
astronomical phenomena which were to happen in the year 1670. In the
monthly revolution of the moon its disc passes over those stars which
lie along its track. The disappearance of a star by the
interposition of the moon is called an "occultation." Owing to the
fact that our satellite is comparatively near us, the position which
the moon appears to occupy on the heavens varies from different parts
of the earth, it consequently happens that a star which would be
occulted to an observer in one locality, would often not be occulted
to an observer who was situated elsewhere.
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