Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-02-11
An Interesting Lecture ON Astronomy.


editorial notice of one of them on the subject
Of the heavenly bodies, published in the Savan-
nah Republican, we make the following in.
teresting extract. .-s s-a .. ., Co.,
"The Doctor began by saying that although
telescope observation does not enable us to
ascertain the fact, that the planets are inhsbt.
ed, yet there is mass of concurrent testimony
which is almost conclusive. If one were to
land on an island, and were to find there hous-
es well warmed and protected against the
weather, well lighted up, and having al! the
comforts and necessaries which men require,
one would feel perfectly assured that such an
island contained organised beings like our
selves, even though no human creature were
visible
In like manner, when we investigate the
movements Of the heavenly bodies, we find a
similar adaptation oftheir economy to the wants
of beings like ourselves--It is ascertaincd that
they have atmosphcrcs, clouds, and durnal
motion. the vicissitudes of seasons and all the
other phenomena which mark the character Of
our own globe. 1t is a curious fact, the planet
Mercury which is nearest to the sun, has an
atmosphere more charged with clouds than any
other planet of the solar system This wise
provision is obviously intended to screen and
shelter that orb from the intense solar light and
heat which might otherwise make existence
intolerable there. So dense is the covering of
clouds around Mercury that it is quite i'm
possible TO obtain more than occasional glimpse
of the disc oft. -
This is also the case with Venus, though
has succeeded after much careful examination
in joining together the observed portions Of
Venus so as to make a tolerable plan of its
surface. It's diurnnl rotation takes place in a.
bout the same time as that of the earth. This
was ascertaincd by German Philosopher, who
on observing the crescent Of Venus with his
telescope, noticed that the extreme point or the
tip of the horn Of the crescent became gradual.
| ly blunted, and that after a certain time the
point was as gradually restored to its luminous
appearance. Continued observations showed
that this succession ofappearances was perfect.
ly regular, and that il occurred in few
minutes less than "a hours. The explanation
of this is that mountain at this place cast a
shadow, which shadow, by the dlurnal motion
OF the planet. was first heightened, then reduc.
ed and finally disappeared, to return again at
intervals perfectly regular. -..-..,s.r l,s g..
Sir John IIershel ascertained the diurnal
motion of Mars, by noticing speck on its sur
face and watching its return again to the same
point This took place with the utmost regu-
larity. showing that the days and nights on ,he
planet Mars, were nearly ofthe same duration
as our own. As the distance of Inc planets
from the sun increases, the Clouds become less
and less dense, allowing a greater portion o.
solar light and heat to reach the more remote
ones.
1t is singular fact that as general rule
the distances Of the planets from the sun 60 or
nearly doubling at each remove. There j.
however, between the orbits of Mars and Ju
p'ter an unusually wide space-Ths led t.
the conjecture that there ought TO be plane
there, in order TO render the plan complete. I
was by accident that the first one of the fou
small planets or asteroids existing there wal
discovered. Ii is presumed that other frag
ments exist, though too email to be seen. These
asteroids Ceres. Psllas, Juno, and Vesta, are
supposed to be the fragments of broken planet
The fact that they are not perfect spherods
but angular masses, comes in aid Of this suppo
sition.-Another fact which is singular, is tina
their pathsas calculated, appear to proceed from
the same point, and it is demonstrated too, tina
these orbits must at regular periodical time
carry each os them through the same position
in the heavens.
A German Philosopher has made a mos
singular calculation in regard to the distance
} of the planets from the sun. lie has construc.
ed a table as follows:
!