Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-02-17
vi | ) c Ell L A Y.
ASTRONOMICAL FACTS AND FAN.
CIES

before the Lowell Institute of Boston. W
copy them from the Boston Traveller
In their distance from the sun, the plan
cts vary greatly, ranging between 81 900
600 and 2,700, 900 600 miles. In size ther
is great difference, and the earth rank
among the smaller planets. The interior
planets, as rule, are smaller than the ex te
rior ones. The quantity of matter which
planet contains is found by weighing it, an,
this is done by means of its attraction o
grAvitation. Some are light as cork, other
heavy as lead. The density of the earth il
five times as great as that of water.
In the period of revolution about the sur
there is also great difference. Mercury oc
cupies IS of our days, and Neptune 6O,0OO
As the satellites Of planet are common
ly near it, their motion is about the same
"a full moon moves little faster than the
planet, and a new moon little slower.
In regard to the diurnal revolutions there
is also difference. Mercury revoves about
the sun in SO Of Mercury days, and Nep-
tune in l50,0 of Neptune's days The
nearest Of Jupiter's satellites is about the
| same distance from it as our moon the re-
motest is l 200 900 miles The solitary sa-
tellite Of Neptune is probably solitary only
in our books
Tie lecturer here deStf bed e. ~" III )
attending the exhibition Vi lie Ope.dtIOn of
the solar system by means of an orrery, since
in order to make the larger objects percepti-
bic an area of Of $500 acres of land would be
necessary for the orbit, and a microscope and
telescope would be necessary to detect the
more minute and distant objects. he earth
was not large enough for an orrery which
could include visible stars.
The difficulty had led an old French as
tronomer to say that an ordinary orrery gave
about as adequate an idea of the operations
of the solar system as the smell Of tar did of
a first rate man-of-war. The figure of all
the planets is nearly that Of a sphere. In
the Earth the equatorial diameter exceeds
the polar by 26 miles, and in Jupiter 6000
miles. The satellites revolye SO slowly that
the force is less than on their primaries.
He next considered the physical geography
of the planets.
Mercury twinkles like a star, and on ac-
count Of its variabeness quicksilver was nam
eG for it. 1t has been the butt of much ridi
cule from astronomers, and one describes it as
the squirting licquey Ct the sun, who nev-
er shows his head, as il he were in debt 1t
is a difficult planet to discover or examine,
but spots are green upon it, which are sup
posed To be mountains, and one is described
as "a volcano in active operation.
Venus Is distinguished for It's use to sea-
men in taking latitude and longitude, both
of which can be obtained from it. Although
small, It's proximity to the earth renders it
bright, and sometimes visible even at noon
day. Bsnaparte, in going to Luxemberg,
was surprised to see the people gazing at the
sky instead OF hrm. They saw Venus by
daylight, and regarded it as his star of des-
tiny
The mountains of Venus, as computed by
some, are five times higher than those of the
Earth. Large telescopes are not used to al
vantage in observing this planet 1t Is sur
rounded by very dense atmosphere, and its
time Of rotation is 24 hous
Mars has the closest resemblance to the
Earth Of all the planets. It's rudy color
was formerly supposed 70 indicate its pecul-
lar atmosphere, but il has now been decided
to be the real tnts Of the continents upon it,
as if they were composed of red sandstone.
Its lighter spots are inferred t. be "a"sod -
snow upon il, ana are Its most observable
features
Jupiter is the largest planet, but it is so
far from the Earth as not TO be plainly visi-
bic. Not much is known in regard TO the
peculiarities OF its surface.
Saturn. on account of its livid hue, was
taken by the ancients as the emblem of lead.
The ribbons or belts which are seen about it,
have been decided, from their variable char
acter, not to be parts of the planet. Its pc
rod of rotation is ten hours and sixteen min
utes. DR.. Herschel supposed it to be fattened
at the poles and at the equator, and his son
made his debut as an astronomer in confirm
ing his views, but the theory is not now be-
heyed to be supported by good evidence.
Uranus is at such a distance from the sun
as TO be barely visible TO the eye, and no OBJ
servation in regard to its surface can be taken.
On planets moving in circular orbits there
is not much difference in seasons on account
of the distance: this depends on the inclina-
tion on the axis. Jupiter has continual
spring: Mars and Saturn are like the earth
in that particular; and Mercury and Venus
have excessive seasons.
On the sun the motions of the planets can
be seen more as they really are.
There are few astronomers who have not
entertained the question as to whether the
sun and the other planets are not inhabited.
Theological and scientific objections have
been raised in regard to their being in
habited by human beings. There has been
much neighborly solicitude in regard to the
lack of water and air in the moon, and in
regard to the comfort of those who reside on
the other side of the moon, where there is
no light But by travelling one hundred miles
"a day owing to the slow motions of the moon.
the inhabitants can keep in daylight or dark
ness all the time
1t has been said that Hershell's greatest
telescope would bring the moon apparently
within 40 miles of the earth, and some people
supposed we were even to see the inhabitants
But to do this a magnifying power of 81 900
would be necessary; while one of 300 magnl-
flying power was the largest that ever had been
made to work.
Arago supposed the comets were admirably
adapted to use as the Botany Bay of the 9TH
er planets as their heat from the sun is
400, 600, 900 times as great at times as it is at
Others
But the heat which they acquire it would
take $4,000 years to work off, so it is not
| probable that their temperature varies greatly;
the general temperature of space is only 70
| degrees below zero. So some do not despair
of the comets being inhabited.
Some astronomers have even gone so far as
to compute the size of the inhabitants of the
inhabitants of the planets; and one theory
was based on the supposition that the size Of
being, the size of the pupil of the eye, and
the distance from the sun. must be in relative
proportion.
The lecture closed with a very amusing
fancy description of the visit of an inhabit-
ant of Sirius-9 miles tall-to Saturn; his
acquaintance with an inhabitant of that
planet, and a trip around the sun on little
| pleasure trip, after the latter had over-ruled
the objections of bis wife, short woman,
only 5000 feet tall, who complained that af-
ter a courtship of 1900 years, they had only
been married 200 years. After visiting at
other planets they stopped at the Earth, and
had great difficulty to ascertain whether it
WAS inhabited, but at last discovered a whale
with microscope. and subsequently, by the
same means. while wading the Atlantic, a
fleet on an exploring expedition.
A Lesson FOR TIE LADIEs.-A gentleman
who had often been annoyed by waiting a
long time for the making of the toilet