The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-05-25
Scientific 2esearcll.
Interesting Astronomical Facts.

interesting Astronomical Facts
The study Of astronsmy has ever
been one of interest to the thinking and
contemplative mind. Late discoveries
in the science by the aid of the spec.
troscope, powerful telescopes and other
scientific instruments for measuring
distances, etc, have given us many in.
teresting facts not before known.
ln reference to the size of the sun,
the relative measures would be, making
comparison, as follows; A room about
twenty six feet in length, height and
breadth, would be required to contain
the representation Of the suns globe,
while the globe representing the earth
could be placed in moderately large
goblet The sun outweighs fully seven
hundred and forty times the combined
mass OF all the planets which circle
around il.
Mercury circles around the sun in
The brief period Of eighty eight days,
so that if the planet has seasons, these
must be severally about three weeks
long. When he is nearest the sun, he
receives ten and half times more light
aud heat than we do; aud the sun
shows disc five times larger to that
planet than represents u.s. Pretty warm
climate, to say the least of it, and no
need Of fire to ccok food. His diameter
is it'll more than 5000 miles; our
earth is about fifteen time as heavy.
Gravity, at its surface, is such that
pound weight Of ours would weigh
rather less then seven ounces.
Venus has year oftwo hundred and
twenty four days, seventeen hours, very
nearly, aud her distance from the sdn, i,
which varies little during he7 year, is
somewhat less than three fourth of that
which separates the sun from Us Her
day is about thirty.fve minutes shorter
than ours, ard her globe somewhat
smaller than o-rs.
Mars is about 5000 miles in diane
ter, so that his linear Dimensions bear
to those Of the earth the proportion of
about five to eight The surface of the
earth is about two aud half times as
extensive us that of Mars. The sub
stauce Of Mars has an average density
Of rather less than three fourths of our
earth, or very nearly four times that of
water. Thus gravity at his surface IS
much less than ours, insomuch that one
Of our pound weights, placed ut Mars,
would weigh but six ounces, three pen
ny weights. The length of his year is
nearly six hundred and cighiy-sevon of
our days, so that each of his quarters
last about five and two.thirds of our
months.
Jupiter is the giant Of the solar sys.
TEN, and exceeds our earth some | $50
times in volume, aud more than three
hundred times in mass. He has a
diameter Of about $4,000 miles, or
nearly IL times as large as the earth's,
surface Of Que hundred and fifteen
times larger. Gravity at his surface is
about two aud half times as great as
on our earth, SO that such creatures as
exist around US would find their weight
much more than double if removed to
Jupiter. lie lies more than five time /,
farther from the sun than our earth,
and the light and heat which he re.
ceives are reduced to about one twenty.
fifth Of our supply. He rotates on his
axis in about ten hours, SO that his day
is considerably less than half of ours.
His axis is uearly perpendicular to his
orbit, SO that there is no appreciable
seasouable changes. His year is A..
1921 days. He rejoiccs in four moons,
and if they are all full at the same time,
they would give to Jupiter one sixteenth
part Of the light we receive from our
moon when full.
Saturn, in volume aud mass, is infer.
ior TO Jupiter, being not quite seven
hundred times as large us the length OF
our earth. The length of his day is
ten aud half Of our hours. His mean
density is specifically lighter than that
Of any known planet lie occupies
about twenty.nine aud a half OF our
years in circling once around the sun.
His distance is nearly twice that Of
Jupiter, and nearly ten times that of
Che earth, making his distance 9l0,.
600, 900 miles from the suu, aud the
light he receives is about 9th part of
the earth. He has eight moons, and If
all were fun at the same time, they
would only give the one sixteenth part
Of light that We receive from ours. Sat.
urn also has a belt that adds to its
beauty, il fnothing else.
Uranus aud Neptune arc considered
the arctic planets, for they are certainly
far enough away from the sun to feel
comfortably cool If there are any
other planets beyond them thcy have
not as yet been discovered Little is
known Of the physical aspect Of the tive
planets. Uranus has diameter OF about
4 80, $50 miles. Neptune is somewhat
largcr, his diameter being estimated at
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