Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-14

I tho conviction which it leaves OF us truth
seems to me Mr.. CouEs has got al an ihiP9i 'sht
/ principle exceedingly interesting ana p!oDaoiy
destined to be of great practicai uui'y III seie"so
wv Lano tbs article may attract the attention OF
soent6c men. and that this novel and simple method
M, Stand the test Of human scrutiny Of talent anu
\ e t;me Mr.. CouES, we understand, Is now en-
raced in preparing work, on Astronomical Science
ron THE NATIONAL ISTELLIGEScER.
| TIc Ratio Jetigcea the Periodic Times aid the
Mean Distances Of The Planets
Ii was discovered by KEPLER that the squares Of the
periodic times Of the planets TO each other IN the
same proportion the cubes of their mean distances
the periodic times of any planets and the mean DIS
lance Of any of them given the distance Of The
other can be computed or if the distances Of two and
the time OF known, the time OF the other can De
ascerained. Three terms are required to obtain
fourth.
kEPLER believed that there was law Of planetary mo-
ton which affixed TO all the planets and the same
ratio of time to distance He sought for seventeen years
the mathematical formula expression, which would
give from the time and distance Of one planet the I'M
known time distance Of another planet he az iast
found the preceding formula mathematical expression
of the law which formula astronomy has rested 70 h
day without the attempt to simplify, extend, or ex-
plain it.
the Earth at ninety millions of miles Of distance from
the sum- has period Of sos days, then Mercury, at thr
tyseven millions Of miles has period Of So days. II
the one then other because Of the one therefore
the other 1t does teach why the earth al certain
distance has certain period it throws light the
law which connects 365 days with nnetyfve millions of
miles. If the distance of the earth only known the
formula could have obtained the period from the
distance.
We believe that we can by new formula arrive the
earths period from its on distance alone and that this
method of calculation throws light upon the bond which
connects time with distance
We will assume that the distance of the Earth is
~ AGO O43 miles (which vaIne we take from table If
planetary distances and that Mercnrvs distance from
the sourcel i AZ o55 992 miles These distances
sara os 100 81 70 40 a. We will wort, then with the
Eartbs relative distance br 100 81 and ser
c,ry,sb Nv 40 a.
Th Etb 100 81 3v;5od 10 q ssa- eoro,s II ii !. ,ba
sonar. roo+ &c i u e,na,s a8o aa2 nuI,irled Nv
no 81 o,a1s oe5 %
Mer,nrr a2-a7 divided Nv o s6o7 eouoI. { 40. tbe
ono root - 4 "a o,rais ) o72 . o-9 ropIti,,;a1 Nv
- ~ oor.ls ee ne
rf ,bareforo tho distance of tbe Earth i o. 2ao o4s
and ,be distance of Mercury 30 g e92 miles the periods
,,,or1d - ~ AK % - sS "a
The 5;,n,ss a. rona of rho n,orats from tba an an
"a lo,or;ned h. observatio, within o5or+c- of nil;
,;r mnos a. Tho cor,ror Tho as,id ara lnoyvn with
fr,coror er.c,nass The oor,bs narod i as o562 dovs
Pror nj Lrop nariod nv tho corversa ono
RATION f tho formula the ea-tb distance can he a. &C.
cnrate, obtained The Par,b,s ror;od 2e5 o5s2 5,ys
ivas Ok ara 90 miles Nercurv,s nerod II o6q2 dsys
g;vos pa az 54o miles distance
VIII he admitted that III formn, W. nrssant i mora
s;mple and that as method Of calculation Il i more
no,t;nns tbor tho ala Nor caD l. IA 5er;od that or
results ave - certain and reliable Indeed this me,bod
has beep called bv an eminent mathematician ,Kenler
law il : new dress
The Ian, is 6xed ratio Of time 70 distance This i n,
lar Of nature and not Of Kepr ,cko dt,corsr.d ngths
NAUTICAL process 1hich Provsd tie Of this a and By
which process the elements Of one planet can os compute
sor-o,,a - rOeho 80 Communication founded - tho s.m
law of planetary motion Nv which formula pIane,,
distance can be computed from its orn time, and the
converse -
The two processes ar<widey different. The one uses
the square OF the time ana the euoe Of the distance the
ether uses the simple distance and the ratio between the
diameter and circumference Of circle to w.t. Slllo9 7
which souared il q 1907 l.
The Keper process throws no light upon the law which
time and distance On the other hand we saw
that =, seaL tro fro dstanco Il l.; obar orda Ia saa