The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-08
IS THERE SUCH A WORLD I
THE PLANET THAT rs sUPposuD T0
WANDER NEAR THE SUy.
vuicar'- Existence Said 10 be Rstabitsse. I.
Little spot that an Astronomer Look 10y
for In Vain-Dr. EIrip's Obse rvntiou.. ~


from ne R5iHiscAe zesfung.
The report has run through "a number q,
German ana fNretgn newspapers. recently, that
the often con pictured planet within the path OF
Mercury had he n seen on April In three dr.
ferent places-Ndn-ter. Zurich, aud Athens, aud
that cons Huueutly its existence had been firmly
cui ltiln of this report, which rests on misap.
prehensiOn, venture 20 communicate the 40
tusl facts.
Lcvetrier In Paris years ago had determinea,
for reasons which u " not necessary Co state
further nero. on the existence OF n planet stand
ing nearer the sun than Mercury. and French
phvsiCiIn. LoscarDhult, ON Marcn 20, 1852 actu-
ally saw IA round hlick point on the suns disk.
which was taken to TO the planet In question.
Although other observers, likewise, had occa-
sion lily In earlier years, seen such dark circular
spots on the suns disk. and Prof. Wolf OF 20
rich was able to bring tne most Trustworthy Of
these observations into agreement by giving the
supposed planet % pcriod OF revolution OF from
remalns undetermined, because the planet hos
since then been sought for in vain, even ON CO.
cI n OF total eciipscs Of the sun.
IA tne heHinnirg OF August. this year, re
1elVed rom one Of my correspondents, Herr
Weber In Pekcloh, for many wears a watonful
ON his observations OF spots on tho ann in the
mouths Of April ana May, and in that report the
truth Is found which has served az the start,ns
point for the numerous confused newspaper re.
ports 10 the forenoon Of April Herr Weber
sky was troubled but between 4 and 8 O'clock
the sun broke through for ~ or % minutes. The
observer at once seized the opportunity, ana ex-
out seeing traces OF spots. "Sud-
denly" he writes, there appeared to my vision
a rounded disk of about II seconds In projeo.
ton. II stood II seconds In time removed fiom
tue eastern border Of the sun. Still, | had time
to examine the nearest circumference OF the
spot more closely. but there nowhere
slight streak OF II me. nor cloud OF vapOr, stood
out from the sun. but the dark little disk alone
! thought Immediately OF the discovery, which
Lescarbault Thought he had made. but la which
until that moment had hut little faith. Tue
thing could have been easily determined VI the
sun had remained perfectly clear a few minutes
longer. But was Obliged to leave IL undecided.
On the morning Of April 8, | renewed my obser-
Notwithstanding my earnest searches" Such
are the fact Of the observation.
After had allowed the foregoing to be print.
ed In No. 81 Of the JCcku BullCtin Of Astr0nOnu
found the sun free from spots on tine morning
Of April T. and that at 10 clock In the m orninR
OF IN Il day Director Schmidt In Athens had
perceived no spot. by this, however. the COR
iectness OF Weber was not contradicted, but II
was rather sustained, rs II Is Improbable that q
SPOT OF that size could have been found In sew
erll hours, at time when the sun has a mini
mum Of spots. Prof Wolf remarked also in his
note TINT the spot observed by Weber had been
seen liSxi22 days later than that seen by Le-
over OF an intramercurial planet. II must In the
tnterv i have accomplished liS revolutions each
Of 42.@ dur ition. II could be sincerely wished
that on the afternoon OF April 4, about or
thr suns disk and leen favored by the weather.
Unfortunately such was not this case. With re-
lattOn to the intramercurial planet n certaint
has not been attained, and the report that II
was seen at the same time IN Minister, Athens,
ana Zurich Is deprived Of all foundation, not
wIthstanding It's having been. rs l notice, an
nOuDced 10y Levsrrier to the Paris Academy
COLOGNE. DIR. HERMAN l. KLEIN.