The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-03-01
Flammarion's Speculations on Ju-
utter.

THE world of Jupiter Il the most volu-
minous of all the globes Of our system;
it is only 1000 times smaller than the
sun, and by itself alone IL equal to l 400
terrestrial globes. So, although it re-
wolves in circuit that is almost zoe, 0O0,-
900 leagues distant and receives q light
very much fainter than that received by
the earth, its bulkiness Is manifested
through the brilliancy with which it
shines during our starlit nights, brill
fancy equal, and often even superior, to
that with which Venus sparkles. His is
a ravishing world, at least so far as Que
can Judge from q distance, without hav-
ing been there. In the first place, per-
petual spring time radiates over mis- sur
face. If he is bedecked with flowers-a
Circumstance of which we entertain no
doubt, save as to knowing of what such
flowers may consist-they do not live
only "pespacs dun mntin'' (the space of
mOrning) as your roses, but enjoy an
existence infinitely more heightened.
Scarcely do the older. ones begin to show
few wrinkles and wax wan before they
are replaced by charming buds putin
forth their bloom before the first have
withered. Not only does every year on
the Jovian planet equal twelve of our
years, but we further hardly know when
the annual period begins or ends. There
are no summers, no winters, but always
the spring. Then the world of Jupiter
presents a surface 1875 times more extern
sive than the earth's. I Say surface and
not volume. Now, 1926 earths, one placed
alongside another, and over which man.
kind might spread at will, would consti.
tute an exceedingly fine country, would
it not? We ought not, then, to doubt that
such an empire was formed to serve as q
dwelling-place for some human fami
ly worthy Of all our respect. Because
we find, through observation of the
Jovian planet, excellent reasons fol
believing its inhabitants greatly ia.
| vored, it does not follow that the said
inhabitants should make the same refec.
tions respecting us. A good reason con.
fronts the supposition of their botherlng
themselves thereabOut-the fact that they
And, indeed, should it ever, in future
dwell on Jupiter. you would have no lit
tie trouble to find your former home
You would have to get up a bit befor'
five hours between the rising and setting
VI tlldt OIU Ou OupitOAJS anu A'V "a Sl4
minutes before the suns appearance, seeh
in the east for very tiny white star
With very sharp eyes you might chance
perhaps, to perceive it. In such case
you would know that our earth is in tn
world. So again. six months later, yO,
might make the same search in the ives
q few moments after the day-king's re
firing. Such are the conditions in which
the dwellers Of Jupiter find themselves a
regards US. Earth is never seen from
there during the night, whilst it is pre-
cisely in the calm nighttime that we
from here, can best observe that magnifi
cent planet. As for the planets which
follow-Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
they cannot have, respecting thereto, any
conception whatever. Jupiter is, il
sooth, a world, splendid world, beside
which ours is verify but a moon, ant
were we to observe it close at hand, t
grow accustomed to its nature, to liv
awhile amidst its surroundings and to ap
preciate its importance, we should regart
our globe as very modest when comm!
forth from such place Of sojourn. w
should be like those good village foil
who come once in their lifetime to Paris
and who, if they have the i'll luck to re
main there a month only, no longer know
what to make of their village-it
eclipsed by the mere recollection 6 tn
splendors caught sight of.-Holmesbur;
Gazette