Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-04-02
A Scientists Somsrsaults.

DR.. T. De Verano, one of the most dis
tinguishcd astronomers of the day, is
about to publish book, which as com-
plctcly upscts the astronomical system now
INDUCED in as Copcrnicus and Gallileo
upset the system prevailing. The system
Of Newton, the deduction of Kcplcr, and
the opinions of all the great lights of our
present system, are utterly contradicted.
1t is understood that these new doctrines
are not the opinions Of one man, but are
the opinions of a school. and this book is
its first shot against cxistin. institutions !:
and we may look for lively battle among
scientific men. Theauthor sets forth some
Of his conclusions as follows:
Contrary to the teachings of the system
Of Coperncus, the only one that now gives
law to astronomy, the sun is not placed in
the centre of the planetary system, and the
earth and the planets do not rcvolvc an.
nually around that luminary.
Contrary to the belief in the system of
Ptolemy, the earth is not situated in tho
centre Of the universe. and the sun and
the planets do not accomplish their annual
revolution around it.
Contrary to tn, system OF Tycho Brachc,
the earth is not motionless in the centre Of
the planetary system, and the sun does
not revolve annually around our globe,
carrying with it, in its revolution, all the
planets that circulate around it.
Contrary to the doctrine Of the astrono
mcrs OF our days, the orbit of the earth
and the orbits of the planets are circles
and not pses-Kcp!er having mistaken
illusions for realities in aseribng to the
ellipsc a power in space which it does not
and cannot possess.
Contrary to their doctrine, the moon
does not rcvolve around the earth while
the latter is said to rcvolvc around the
sun.
Contrary to their doctrine, the earth,
tho moon and the planets pursue their
course continually in the plane of the
elliptic, and never 90 out Of it.
Contrary to their doctrine, the diminu.
tion Of the obliquity of the elliptic is a
chimerical idea
Contrary to their doctrine, the process
sion Of the equinoxes, upon which the
most important works of modern as tronomy
are based, is something that does not exist.
Contrary to their doctrine, the equiuoc.
tial points aud solstices always preserve
their same positions.
Contrary to their doctrine, the terres-
trial meridian varies annually, and the
ATTITUDES and starting point from year to
year.
Contrary to their doctrine, our civil
year is not Of constant equal duration, as
their almanacs represent it. There is
never year of duration equal to the one
that preceded or follows it. ...
Contrary to their doctrine. the Grego-
rian rectifcation was founded upon no as
Economical basis. Iustcad of preventing
At has augmented confusion at a future
day Easter will come round again in the
middle of spring, although the aln,anacs
will call it winter, if they persist in keep
ing the 2lst day Of March as the date of
the spring equinox.
Contrary to their doctrine, the climates
of the earth are not nearly invariable, but
are subject to extreme vicissitudes.
Contrary to their doctrine, the stars
have general movement that carries
them from West to East. ''''.
Contrary to their doctrine, the dimen-
sions, distances and movements of the
planetary bodies, as set forth in their CON-
p1tations and tables, possess no reality
whatever; for~they have been determined
without taking into account ono Of the
most indispensable conditions.
Contrary to their doctrine, no comet sv.
Or precipitates into any sun whatever, in
the realms ofspace, or can, in any event,
come in collision with the earth.
:, Contrary to their doctrine, Kepler's
laws are but pure illusions. It is only pec-
sssary to study them experimentally in Or
Ger to recognize the fact that they have