New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-03-05
TyceJ,nl Lectures.

The lecture OF Professor Could llSG evening at tne
Lyceum was more largely attended than its prede-
cessors, and to those who were conversant with as
tronomy and high mathematics, was exceedingly
Interesting The discovery of the planet Uranus was
the subject, and the merits of Leverrer and other
astronomers concerned in its discovery, were very
fully unfolded. The difficulties attendant upon cal
cuatng any planet added to the peculiar difficulties
which exist in calculating the motion of planet, up
on which the influence Of other planets not known
gives some idea Of the difficulties encountered by
those who studied out the existence of Uranus
Up to very recent period our astronomers knew
only Of those planets whose histories were handed
down from former generations. Thirty-ninc new
planets have been discoyeedsnce In 1873 there were
twenty observations concerning Uranus. Since then
it has been fully computed and now it is known that
this planet requires eightyfour years to move around
the sun: which one planet does in twenty-four hours
In 1921 Bowler who was student of Laplace, made
some calculations concerning the planet From his
time the discovery has been more and more fully fol-
lowed up until Neptune is exactly calculated
as any other.
In 1910 Bessel, while calculating the distances Of
the fixed stars announced the fact that there must be
such planet inbeing, although he had seen it.
Bowler and Hanson, before 1880, both believed that
had similar suspicion, and the whole astronomi
cal world was on the gu, ruc for this unseen world
and continued to correspond concerning i-some with
doubts, others with high hopes-all with greater Or
less proximate success. Adams and Leverricr were
the only men who continued in pursuit Of the fugitive
planetthe former began in 1913 the latter in l045
and in 1913 Adams sent out the calculated orbit Of
new planet, which Prof. Airey acknowledged The
calculations Of Adams close and exact but le-
yerriers were more full, and the difference between
them is great the latters work being ten times seyerer
than his rivals and creating an entirely new series Of
calculations. Both, however, were magnificent and
worthy of great astronomers
On the 23d of Sept, 1876 the planet was found by
Leverier and the glory, therefore, belongs to him.
He published istheory and sakcd his reputation upon
it, This is brief theory of Leverriers planet up to
the discovery of Uranus, Walker, an American as
tronomcr, in 1917 declared that star which had been
calculated by Lalanle, years before was not star,
but planet. Prof. Pierce took up the theory and
carried it forward. Had he pushed it little further,
the glory of the discovery would have been his fhe
different calculations of the different astronomers and
the differences between them very clearly given,
but were too exact for condensation and too long for
entire publications.
| In March, 1917 Pierce and Walker, Of our own
country calculated closely the position and form
of Neptune SO that now it is impossible for any
farther achievement to be accomplished and foreign
astronomers are now dependant upon American cal
cuations for their statistics concerning the great
planet. The calculations of Levcrrier and Others
were true in their general outlines, but those of Adams
were correct in their minutia and gave the planet
as fact, thoroughly calculated, and with nothing
left for suspicion. While Germany, England ant
France, struggled for the palm of victory, it was wor
by American, and our country is now at the heat
of all others. American astronomy now supports
periodical which admits nothing that is not purely
scientific to its pages. Sears G. Walker, who lie
buried in Ohio one of the noblest Of all American
astronomers and his memory must ever be remen1
bered for if,
DuLcc decOlu1n est