Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-10-16
The Distance to the Sun.

4&S ~.SkAAASS W SkAS SoAA'
Mr. Editor: IL is PROFESSIONALLY the
CcCeraIiy received opinion thai the distance
20 Ike sun from our earth is 5000, 900 ol
mics. This is one Of the gfeaies, errors
nmong The many in The Copernican system
oi Astronomy. That the sun is 95,0O0,-
eco OF miles IRON US, and forms a radius
Iine Of that immcus distance, and We as
the inhabitants Of this globe, to revolye
nbout the sun SIX lime as far, making
57O.OO0,00 Of miles in 363! days, is
most certainly one Of the greatest humbugS
10 this modern age. Yet this doctrine Is
,aught in our schools, and propaga,ci by
the mos, learned in the colleges. II is es
timaled in Dabol's ArlrnmIlic that il would
take cannon ball over 80 years 10 fly
from our earth 10 the sun. moving al the
rate of mile in II seconds. Yet We 10
revove around the sun, mus, 60 six times
MS far in one year consequently more
than 1873 times as fast as a cannon bali
ni its first discharge. As geomeirIcian.
surveyor, navigator, and astronomer, with
much practical life, and by many figures
and lines, | venture 10 proclaim that man
can no, be found on Gods globe who can
determine by figures and lines that the sun
measures in distance any more than &c.
900 miles from the GENRE Of our earth 10
her centre OF the system. In measuring
the distance 10 the sun, astronomers have
substituted the diameter Of the supposed
circuit OF our earth about the sun for
base line from which 10 measure The dis.
'ance 10 the sun. | aPprehend that il is
upon this false supposiion the whole Of
the Copernican system rests. How. in
reason, can base line l9O,000,OOO of
miles be Instituted from which 10 mea.
sure the distance OF the sun, when we have, !
in reality, a base line Of only 1900 miles.
according TO clock motions, for the diam
eter OF our earth from which 10 measure
the distance Of the sun as an inaccessible
oblecll We have base line Of 200 miles
only. and lines of observation made on the
rising and setting sun, lsO degrees apart,
on the equatorial line, must decline 10 the
centre of our earth miles 10 every degree
at sea, according to practical navigation,
thus guaging the lines Of observation TO the
tangent line of our earth on the centre of
the sun. Consequently, when the line Of
observation has been extended far
enough TO distinguish the base Of the earth,
The distance 10 the sun must be determined.
which is precisely $4,000 miles from the
centre Of our earth to her centre in the
system. Upon this false supposition. then,
that we have 100, 600, 900 Of miles of base
line. by which TO measure the distance to
the sun. the whole Of the Coperncan sys-
ten rests. This 10000, 900 of miles is |
what The editor OF the Herald or one of his
writers, calls the porket rule, By which TO
measure the distance Of the stars, and re-
dnces tito point OF space. viii some one
among the Coperricans please solve, fairly |
and lrreiu'ably the distance 10 the sun, and
publish the same in this paper
A. COTTREL.-Scieatifc american.
Judges Johnston and Wood, and the
Rev. Mr.. Edwards, are the Wing. Demo.
cratic. and Free Soil candidates for Gov.
ernor Of Ohio. The three met at Cleve
land short time since, and it was found
that they measured nineteen feet.
A, Bristol. Bucks county. Mr.. Ches.
ton was prosecuted f,r passing BurIing-
ton, n. j., one dollar bill, and w. Knsey,
Esq, the Justice, decided that he should
pay tho penalty Of S25 and costs of suit.
An appeal vas taken (rom Tho de.;s;,,