The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-09-19
SctENcE.
THE PI ANET VULCAN .

THE PLANET VULCAN.
| After twenty years of dispute. con
tradicted by many doubtful and con
flicting observations, the intra
Mercurial planet discovered by the
Partisan physician, Lescarbault. will
probably now have 10 be admitted tC
full standing among the planets. The
readers of the Scientific American
will recall the numerous cOmmunlca'
tions and articles with reference to
this planet, printed in our issues fol
October, November and December.
1915, and the more recent article OF
May Is, 1878, when the belief was ex-
pressed that at the approaching eclipse
the disputed planet would be found
not far from the sun.
Ever since LIE Verrier completed
his demonstration of the existence
Of a disturbing body somewhere be-
tween Mercury and the sun, not few
astronomers have been convinced
that only favorable opportunity was
necessary to verify by sight the evil
dence of mathematics.
Among these was Professor Watson.
whose confidence was SO strong that
he went to Colorado determined to
make the search for Vulcan his chief
business. He said to 4 tOwnSman on
his return Il was satisfied that there
was planet within the orbit of
Mercury, just as l am satisfied that
there is one outside the orbit of
Neptune. The perturbatiOns of those
planets. and some other phenomena
cannot be explained on any other
hypothesis. So when we went there
l fixed on my plan and stuck to it. l
determined to sweep south Of the sun,
and to keep within a small space.
We had but three and half minutes,
and the time was too short to try to
get over too great space. l meant
to search that much thoroughly. and
so reduce the amount for future
astronomers should not succeed. 1t
was on the fifth sweep that l saw the
object
In his report to Rear Admiral
Rodgers, superintendent sof the
United States Naval Observatory,
Professor Watson says: II have the
honor to report that at the time of
IOLdllUN OUSCl NCu q OCoI VI viz AOul
and half magnitued in r. a. 8h.
26m. dec. 18o north, which is. feel
convinced. an intra-Mercurial planet
l observed with power of forty-five.
and did not have time to change the
power so as to enlarge the disk. There
is no known star in the position OBJ
served, and did not see any elonga-
ton, such as ought to exist in the
case of comet very near the sun.
will hereafter report to you fully in
regard to observations made. The
appearance of the object observed
was that of a ruddy star of the four
and half magnitude. The method
which l adopted prevents the pos.
siblity of error from wrong circle
readings; besides have memorized
the Washington chart Of the region.
and no such star was marked thereon.
By comparison with the neighboring
stars Argelander's scale, the magni-
tude of the planet would be the fifth,
although my direct estimate at the
time of the observation was four and
half, as stated.
Speaking Of the discovery, the
English astronomer, Mr.. Lockyer.
said that he did not look for Vulcan
and did not see it, though he believed
in lie Verrier's prophecy that it would
be found at some time. 1--WE may
rely upon Professor Watson's state
ment that it is not comet, and 1t is
certainly not star, therefore 1t must
be planet. aud, from its position, an
intra- Mercurial one
Much to professor Watson $ delight
his discovery was in 4 measure con-
firmed by that of Mr.. Lewis Swift, OF
Rochester, who was at a neighbOring
station. Mr.. Swift's observation
seems to have been, in sense, ac-
cidental. yet there is no reason to
question its scientific value. In
giving an account of his discovery to
the Rochester Democrat, Mr.. swift
SAYS. About one minute after totali-
| t. two stars caught my eye about
| three degrees, by estimation, south
west of the sun. saw them twice
and attempted a third observation,
but small cloud obscured the locali-
ty. The stars were both of the fifth
magnitude, and but one is on the
chart of the heavens. This star /
recognized as Theta in Cancer. The
two stars were about eight minutes
apart. There is no such coniguration
| Of stars in the constellation OF Cancer.
/ have no doubt that the unknown
star is an intra- Mercurial planet. and
am also inclined to believe that there
| may be more than one such planet.
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES.
/ WHY FLOwERs OPEN AT DFEE.
| RENT HoURs.-Sir John Lubbock al