The New York herald., 1876-10-05
THE PLANET VULCAN.

To THE EDITOR THE HKRALD:-
Fourteen years having elapsed since the observation
Of Lumms, in 1852, and the subject having been dis
missed from the attention OF astronomers it to be
that the supposed observations prior that
time had been sufficient to confirm the existence OF
the planet Vulcan The observation Of last April did
not the evidence and seems from the telegram
published in the HERALD OF this morning has been
jectcd by Leverrier This is not to be construed
decision other that Weber has published fictitious
observation or has ever been mistaken, but simply
will be necessary first to determine the orbit or
the planet and then II be determined whether the
planet could have been upon the SUMS disk
April 4. Ii not, the observation may still have been
genuine because there may bo, and is not improbable
that there anohcf interior planet which Weber may
have soen.
The observations OF the last fcw days were under
taken different observatorics for the purpose Of
suns disk this particular period beng selected be.
cause II tho planet should pass its inferior copjunc
ton this time, 1t must necessarily the SUMS
disk. II Vulcan shall not be seen-and 1t is not ex-
pec,cd that /, will bet will not by any means prove
its non-existcncc II will simply prove that its inle
rior conjunction did not occur during the hours of
observation. Even If the sky to be cloudcss for
series OF days and the observations should be contn-
uous here anu IN Europe there would still be nearly
night when, of course, would be seen.
rhe question then arises How shall we ever be able
to with certainty whether there is or is not
planet? II all the observations which have
been made the express purpose OF tho search for
Vucan have been recorded We may safely say that
its orbit be such that II should not be upon tho
suns disk any OF these recorded times Among
ofner OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES are three in the spring and
two the autumn, which Levcrrier refers to the
same body Comparing the observations in the spring,
the time between Lescarbauts observation IN 1859
and that OF Lummis in 1862 must be divided into such
I upab a. u-
ber of synodic revolutions previous TO 1859 would
carry Us back exactly to sideoo.hams ooser,
be commensurate, and the real synodc revo-
luton must be common factor II may
not the gest common factor, and probably not
the smallest common factor SO that there several
possible orbits which would satisfy these three ooser
vations Then must consider the interval between
the observation Of Frsch IN 1902, and Of Decupps,
in 1899 which must be divisible into whole number
OF equal synodc revolutions Ih.s may, perhaps,
clude one or Of these possible orbits although
he PERIOD long, and there would be only two hours
difference between synodic period derived from 400
complete revolutions and derived from f0l
pete revolutions. But We cannot conclude that the
ierva the observations OF 1899 and 1s49 shall
be surabic with the synodc revolution because
the TRANSIT occurring at the opposite node the
trictv OF the planet may make great difference II
is possible Tor instance that the orbit shall be
centre that planet woud be twice long in pass
ing through one-ha It's orbit as In passing through
the other half
not TO have been sufficiently considered yet
Whenever the suns disk has been searched at the
any such possible orbit II will that there
planet rcvoving that orbit. and may exclude
one orbit after another until We roach orbit so
small rejected tor its proximity 10 the body of
the sun Should proceed so lar ms 10 exclude all
POSSIBLE orbits derived the i've given observations
IL would prove that some OF them was not an OBJ
servation of the same planet The nexi question Will
be whether, by rejecting any one or more OF them,
aud has introducing new possible orbits, one can DO
found which tho existing searches do not negative.
II the proper days Will either ind
the planet or prove those orbits also incorrect II may
not be OF sufficient Importance To warrant the labor,
would be possible 10 proceed thus until either
the planet should be found or every one of the i've ob
scryations shouc be proved to have possible plane
tary orbit connected with II, and such CONCLUSION
would the nold Of all possible orbits OF an IN
planet that II safely be concluded that no
interior plRnet its node within a week OF the
LIST Of April or the lstoi October.
In order carry out tLis plan without unnecessary
expenditure OF tim ard labor II necessary that all
should he IN the hands OF some one COM
puter Tor COMPARISON with the supposed orbits.
would therefore urge upon all searchers Tor THIS in
terror planet that they preserve record oil the hours
when they know from careful search that there was
planet urou the suns disk visible IN telescope SUN
cieny powerful and with atmosphere sufficiently
clear distinctly the notified appearance OF the
suns disk, and To send copy TO amy mputer who
will undertake this inquiry.
HENRY H. PARKHURSr
MY Yopk 4