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But these operations shrink into insignificance by comparison with Sir David Gill's grandiose scheme for uniting two hemispheres by a continuous network of triangulation. The history of geodesy in South Africa began with Lacaille's measurements in 1752.
Meanwhile, astronomers across the channel were by no means idle. One of Lacaille's first under-takings was the remeasuring of the French are of the meridian, which had been incorrectly measured by his patron in 1684. This was begun in 1739, and occupied him for two years before successfully completed.
In those days even Logre's hump had been his property, as well as Alexandre's fleshy arms and Lacaille's gloomy face. He had done what he liked with them, stuffed his opinions down their throats, belaboured their shoulders with his sceptre.
This supposition seems correct, in which case it can easily be shown from the above figures that the distance of this Nova was 300 light years. Star Catalogues. Since the days of very accurate observations numerous star-catalogues have been produced by individuals or by observatories. Bradley's monumental work may be said to head the list. Lacaille's, in the Southern hemisphere, was complementary.
Another superb and most striking object is Lacaille's 30 Doradus, a nebula of great size in the larger nubicula, of which it is impossible to give a better idea than to compare it to a "true lover's knot," or assemblage of nearly circular nebulous loops uniting in a centre, in or near which is an exactly circular round dark hole.
Lacaille's observations followed closely upon the determination of an absorbing question which occupied the attention of the astronomers in the early part of the century. This question was as to the shape of the earth whether it was actually flattened at the poles.
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