Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-01-18
M | s G L L L A N Y
From Dicks Celestial Scenery.

DISTANCE AND MAGNITUDE OF THE sun.
To find the exact distance of the sun
from the earth is an object which has
much interested and engaged astronomers
for acentury past. The angle of paral-
lax being so small as about eight and
half seconds, rendered it for some time
difficult 10 arrive at an accurate determin-
alton on this point, till the trlnsits of We
nus in l76l and 1869. From the calcu-
lation Funded upon the observations made
on these transits, it has been deduced that
the distance OF the sun is about 100000
Of miles. This distance is considered bv
La Place and other astronomers to be
within the Que eighty seventh part Of the
true distance, so that it can not be much
below 81 millions on the one hand, nor
much above 90 millions on the other
Small as this interval may appear when
compared with the vast distances of some
OF the other celestial bodies, il is, in reality,
q most amazing distance when compared
with the spaces which intervene between
terrestrial objects; a distance which the
mind can not appreciate without labori-
Gus effort. Ii is thiriy-one thousand six
hundred times the space that intervenes
between Britain and America; and were
a carriage 10 move along this space at the
rate Of 460 miles every day, it would re-
quire 542 years before the journey could
be accomplished.
The magnitude OF this vast lumnary
is an object which overpowers the imag
ination. Its diameter is $4,000 miles
its circumference, 2,764.60O miles, ilssur-
fice contains 2,432, 800, 100000 o. square
miles, which is twelve ihousand three
hundred and fifty times the area of the
terrnqueous globe. and nearly fifty thou
sand times the extent OF all the habi.able
parts OF the earth. It's solid contents com.
prehend 356,Sle,73o,2 200, 100000, ormore
than three hundred ADD ffy-six thousand
billions OF cubical miles. Were lis cen.
tire placed over the earth, il would fill the
whole orbit of the moon. and reach 200,,
600 miles beyond it on every hand. Were
person TO travel along the surface of The
sun, so as to pass along every square mile
on its surface, at the rate Of thirty mile.
every day, it would require more than two
hundred and twenty millions Of years be
fore the survey of this vast globe could b,
completed. Il would contain within il
circumference more than thirteen hundred
thousand globes as large as the earth, an,
thousand globes of the size Of Jupiter
which is the largest planet of the system
Ii is moro than five hundred times large
than oil the planets, satellites, and comet
belonging 10 our system, vast and exten
sive as some Of them are. Although il
density is liite more than that of water
it would weigh 1860 planets such as Sal
urn. 1867 planets such as Jupiter, 329, 90
globes such as the earth, and more tha
fwo millions of globes such as Mercury
although its density is nearly equal to tina
Of lead. Were we 10 conceive of its sui
face being peopled with inhabitants at th
rate formerly stated, il would contain 68l
.0000000 or morethan six hund
red and eighty billions, which would b
eqIa 10 the inhabitants Of eight hundre
AID ftiy LoHSaRd toOrIds such as ours.
OF globe SO vast in its dimensions, th
human mind, with all its efforts, can forr
no adequate conception. If it is imposs
bic for the mind 10 take ia the whole rang
Of the terraqueous globe, and 10 form