The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-02

The New Planet.

The announcement of Professor Pierce, with regard TO
the planet, has been confirmed by the distinguished
gratifying TO the friends OF the American geometer
Professor Encke, OF Berlin communication published
States that at this time, the planet is distant from the
sun thirty times the distance OF the earth from the
sun, whereas should be- by lie Verries computations,
triyhre times that distance consequently, surprising
lis orbit 10 be circular, orbit which Enckes compua-
about l65 years.-Cambridge Chronicle.
Not 80 FAST if you please. 1t was discovery of Pro-
lessor Pierce that the distance of the planet from
the sun is about 80 times that of the earth with period
OF about l65 years This announcement was first made
from the National Observatory in this city, and its aeon
racy was questioned by Professor Pierce because il diff
iered from lie Verrier. The Washington announcement
has, however, been amply confirmed by European as
tronomers and Professor Pierce has changed his opinions
with regard 10 it. He has gone farther: here is an at
tempt to take away from our National Observatory the
credit due TO it, and Professor Pierce would also tax
away IRON lie Verer the honor OF discovering the place
OF tins planet In paper read ten twelve DAYS
ago before the Boston Academy, he mentoned-if the
published notices, which have seen, and which have
not been coniraliced, represent him airy--tha this
planet not the planet of lie Veer or Adamss theory
but that IT is quite another affair that is not sufficient
to satisfy the disturbances encountered by Uranus and
that ts discovery SO far from being the result of lie Yer
ners calculations, was only happy accident
The principal grounds upon which he rests for this
Of this planet and its period, announced by Lieutenant
Aauy in his report TO the Secretary OF the Navy on the
sh of February, less than. according TO the hypothe
sis Of lie Verrer they should be- But this is neither dis
covery of Professor Pierce and we can
not perceive what there is peculiarly gratifying to his
friends, the fact, that the Washington elements should
be couoborated by the Berlin elements of the same planet
1t may be, that this planet will not account for oil the
anomalies in the motion of Uranus but it BY no means
follows, that is, therefore, not the planet of lie Verrier
The main object of lie Verrer to determine the
position OF the disturbing planet he did and said
observers, "Look, and you will the planet well
They looked and did see it, agreeing in position am
magnitude with his predictions. Position was the grant
object and aim of his research and because observa
lions do not satisfy hypothesis in oil other respects il ap
pears to us to be dealing too stringenty with the illus
ous Frenchman TO say that the discovery is not there
FORE the result OF his Investigations. Such a conclusion
cannot, think, but be regarded a hasy one AM
the manner of putting il forth ungracious and be
rail- to say unjust, both towards lie Verrier and The
National Observatory But we take it that neither III,
one the other requires defence at our hands, be-
yond reclamation against Professor Pierce and the
Cambridge Chronicle.
If this be not the planet of lie Verrers theory, fol
lows that there is planet that will answer TO his heo
ry; for, to say the least this must help TO produce
the perturbatons of Uranus and must lock for one
or others whose Joint effect with this will satisf,
them, and the elements of any Of the unknown
differ very much from those OF lie Yerrer's theory