Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-10-24

thy readers with Intelligence from the Hea-'
yenly bodies; conceive therefore it win not
be an improper season to introduce the fol-
lowing article from the same quarter.
The SUN NOT KEcEssARrLY'A HOT poDY.
1t has long been the universally received
opinion that this stupendous I.uminary is
Globe OF IRE either solid u fluid. and consc-
quently in Itself a hot body !; and that it COM
its heat to all the circumambient
Plaeets and Comets, in the same manner and
ION the same principles as a common cuIli-
hagyeIre communicates its heat to the SUBJ
std within its influence; namely, in pro-
poIT 70 thsr respective distances only
q hsI mis- W. the opinion of Sir Isaac Newton
4 daSucihl from his calculation of the degree
of heat which one of the Comets
had acquired from its near approach to the
sun; which he made to be two Thousand times
hotter than red hot iron-and either this great
Philosopher OF some one of the moderns, has
calculated the heat on the Planet Mercury to
be equal to boiling water And that this o..
pinion still obtains is eyinced by the late re-
publication of the first of these calculations
with all apparent faith in its correctness
and without an argument or even hint in OPP
position TO IT'S verify IL am not Philoso-
pher, Friend Peasants, and therefore my o.
pinions may not be considered as philosophi-
cal; however, with submission will endea-
vor to shew, philosophically, that the above
opinion may be erroneous notwithstanding its
universally and the great responsibility of
those who have adopted it-But as every in
novation generally meets with opposition and
enemies, from ignorance and prejudice; and
as the idea ofthe SIN being a cold 6ody in IL
scLfhas something in it SO repugnant to the
long established notions on this subject, that
deem it decent and prudent to introduce it
to Public notice with all becoming modesty
and humility.
My position is that the natural heat and
light which we enjoy in this world is derived
from that great Luminary, the Sun: but that
both heat and light. and most of the pheno-
mcna produced by the Sun, may be explained
and accounted for without ascribing heat to it
as one of its properties: and therefore agree
ably to the first rule of Philosophising it ought
not to be admitted as cause of those Pine
nopeaa.
n the first place, it is admitted as an axi-
oH thatlightis derived from the Sun, and al
s&hS&ghtS is matter: it is admitted that
fiW ton ffodu keth heats generally, if not u
niversar (aA if friction do produce heat,
which is aStertained by numerous expert
ments) it is uEphilosophical to ascribe it to
the particles of light move with velocity
two millions of times greater than that of a
cannon ball just discharged; how great then
must be the friction between these particles
and the particles composing our atmosphere
in the passage of the former through the lat
ter: and consequently how great degree of
heat must be produced by that action "A
gain, that the rays of light do not arrive at
our atmosphere in a hot state is proven by
the experiment, that the higher we ascend in
the atmosphere the colder we find it, in other
words, the temperature of the atmosphere is
greatest nearest the surface Of the earth and
gradually diminishcth as high as expert
ments have been made, which certainly
would not be the case, if the rays of light
came ready heated from the Sur, -ThisI con-
slider rs powerful argument in favor of the
hypSsfesis, that heat is engendercd by the dc-
fio1& befsreen. the light and dir.-Again, if
tho eYistcd-a medium through which the
SutI rouM communicate heat to the Planets
and Eonkts Which reyolve around it, then
wouldthe lane$ and Comets acquire com
mon tempcrat&e with the Sun; surprising
their ca5asjtiegfor heat to be the same for
it is an axiom in Philosophy, that when two
bodies that differ only in temperature be
brought into contact they will acquire a COM
mon Fourthly. Philosophers
hold that beyond our atmosphere there is
what is termed vacuum, and that although
this serves as a medium for the passage Of
light in direct lines, that it is such medi-
INN as will not communicate sound or heat,
which arc creatures like ourselves, that can
not exist without air,-Again, we find in na-
ture bodies which emit light without possess
ing or communicating any extraordinary de-
gree Of heat.--It is true that ignition produ-
ceth both heat and light; but ignition is sucit
a site or coaSltiop Of matter as eyill very
sp& Oily chang as pSpciplcs so IS to render
it AcapaHe Of causini4 these phenomena,---
it @+re tErcfore' lbsurt't2 SUPPOSE tho Sun
to be'en nepensa pody ct izfited matter, for
than woald il A-yessarily- ,6issSnish in lustrc
every dayssald gradually waste away, until
Il vas totally cOnsumgd. am aware that
Chemists object to this hypothesis, BECAUSE II
will not apply to all ChemicalPhenoIi
be this as it may from what has here beer
said in support Of the supposition, chat tn,
heat which we experience in the solar ray,
lis caused by friction between those rays anC
tho particles of the atmosphere through which
they pass, there appears in favor Of this nv
pothesis greater probability and fewer diff
-
sIze.hcat here sfokcn Of, IL Mqt heat u
zsaymfh Which :ve are sensible Is deTfvedy froa
the Sun.
| The sutfoscd medium ef communicate
! vii slsfitiy tte PLACE efeoatacf,