Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-12-05

possibly be communicated to any body BY INC
earth,s afiraciion-.he only force. on this sup
position, to communicate that velocity.
Sd. The theory countenanced BY La Place anu
H,,,on- tina, thew are thrown from lunar vo'ca'
nos, seems to possess some PIaus'b'''ly' 'fom VIC
demons,rable fact, that body projected from the
moon in the direction Of the earth with velocity
Of 5000 feet per second. would be thrown "''m"
the preponderating influence ofthe earth's at'rac'
ton. But, besides the objections heretofore
made to tins theory, arising from the NUMBER anu
size of some Of those meteors compared Win inc
size of the moon, and the absence OF any certain
Knowledge OF the existence OF VOLCANOES al all 10
the moon. there are two additional ones that have
occurred to me, that demonstrate the imP"ss'ol'i'
~ Of the theory being true. The first is, that
the reacting force produced upon the moon by
the projection of body of the size OF the nc
teor Of 1875, which vas more than halt mile 10
diameter and Of the denslty which meteorle
stones have been always found to possess win a
velocity sufficient to carry it beyond the point OF
equilibrium between the earth and moon, must
be 80 great as materially to affect the motion OF
the moon in its orbit. and thereby fa,ify all pre-
dlctions depending upon this motion remaining
unchansed; which is known not TO have been the
case. The second objection is, that as these b.
dies are found to move with velocity OF at least
twenty miles in a second. while the greatest We
locity that can be communicated to body by the
earth's attraction is not more than seven miles IN
a second, it is evident that body, in order I"
have the velocity with which these meteors move,
generated by the earth's attraction. must come
within the predomlnating influence OF that attrac-
ton with veIoct, Of at least thirteen miles IN
second, which could never be retained BY body
projected from the moon.
4lh The writer Of the article Astronomy. in
the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, connects their or.
Gin With tina, Of the four Asteroids, Ves,a, Juno,
Ceres, aud Pallas; and, improbable as this theo'
~ may, at first view. appear, 1t is the only one'
in my opinion, that cannot be refuted. he says
and every astronomer must support him IN the
asser,ion-that " the elements Of the new pla.
nets furnish US with several direct arguments,
drawn from the eccentricity and inclination OF
their orbits, and from the position OF their peri
heIion and nodes, all concurring TO shew that the
four new planets have diverged from one point ot
space. aud have therefore been originally cOmbn-
ed IN single planet. Let Us now proceed" he
continues. - 10 consider the other phenomena
which nigh, De supposed TO accompany this great
convulsiun. When the cohesion OF the Planet
was q, err ONE by the action OF the explosive force.
a number of little fragments, detached along with
the greater masses, would, on account OF their
smauness. be projected With very great velocity;
aud being thrown beyond the attraction of the
larger Fragments" some Of them - would arrive
within the sphere Of the earth's attraction, when
thew might revol,e around that body at different
distances; or might be preolpi,ated on the earth.
and exhibit all those phenomena which usually
accompany descent Of meteoric stones"
It's little remarkable, in connection with
this theory. that the point Of radiation Of the me-
teors, in their late exhibition, was yearly in the
same point of the heavens from which the four
Asteroids are supposed 10 have proceeded. Their
original motion. accelerated BY the attraction of
the earth, would give them all an equal velocity,
and might thus bring them to the perigee periodi.
caIly. and of course render them Wis ible, in Pc Y
liar states of the air. at nearly the same instant
of time. 1t can readily be shown. BY Kepler's
laws. from their velocity when visible, surprising
them then to have been in their perigee that their
orbits must be very eccentric--another fact cor
roboratise of the truth of.,his theory.
BENJAMIN HALLOWELL.
alexandria Boarding School,
18th mo. S0th, 1855.
See Cavallo's Philosophy.