St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-04-15

the sun between the 25 dg. of Pisces
and the dg. of Taurus, distance of
bnt ~ degrees, or one sign and l2 de-
grees, little less than one-half the
distance from the zenith to the horizon,
or tTitle more than One-ninth of the
whole circle, and the other eight
ninths empty, save solitary Herschel, +,
alone, sin gang by himself" nearly
in opposition to Jupiter and Mars but
% dg. distant from the mass, and has
tening to join it.
IfNewton's Theory be correct, (Which
| doubt, and no doubt it is very pre-
sumptious in me so to dO), and gravity
and prOjectile force are the sole powers
which keep the planets in their orbits,
and cause their motions and courses, it
would seem, l apprehend, that all ce-
lestial bodies having a mutual attrac-
tion for each other should be so distri-
buted through the Solar System that a
certain and definite equilibrium should
at all times be maintained. To continue
the earth in its orbit two specific forces
are employed, the centrifugal, which is
the projectile given at creation, Though
some writers question this, deem their
objections distinction without differ
ence), and the centripetal, which is
gravitation, and they are, or are sup
posed to be, so exactly balanced that
neither preponderates, thence no dis
turbance of the ''harmOny of the
spheres )" and it would seem that but
very small increase in either, from
whatever source, from within or from
without, would disarrange the whole
economy, and draw the earth, i'll the
one case, in constantly decreasing cir
cles, nearer and more near, until it
reaches the sun, and is absoI bed by it I;
or i'll the other, drive it off in tan
gent, into the eIpansum, or within the
undisputed attractive power of some
superior planet, to be eventually drawn
to itself. Granting the centripetal and
the centrifugal forces to be equal, and
that it is necessarily so to maintain
equilibrium, with the planets so distri-
buted in the System as to still continue
that balance, what must be the effect
when the planets are cOngregated with
in space of little more than one
twelfth of the great circle, in portion
al quantity of matter, thence attraction,
ignoring distance for the present pur-
pose, of say, ABS to l6, as will be the
case on April 9th, and acting with the
sun, and in the same proportion assist
ing him, thus causing vast increase OF
the centripetal force, or, at later pc
riod in the year, acting against him,
thus decreasing the same power in the
same proportion 1t certainly seems to
me, always allowing the dicta laid
down in Newton's Principia to be cor
rect), that in either case one or the 9th
er of the two great forces must be sc
lessened as to be finally destroyed, and
as natural sequence, our devoted earth
be hurled headlong from its orbit.
In considering these matters we may
not suppose the earth detained in it.
prescribed path by any fixed extraneOus
power, as the rim of a wheel by the
spokes. or the string that confines the
urchin's sling to his hand, but tha
certain scarcely understood, and
might say theoretical powers of precise
ly equal force, are supposed to supply
the place of the spoke OF string, and de
pendent upon the maintenance of tina
equality to ensure its position. To il
lustrate my argument we will suppOs,
that a small planet or meteor be placed
in situation SO exactly between th'
earth and moon that the attraction o
each upon it would be equal, the small
planet would evidently remain sus
pended, aud fall to neither, so long a
the equilibrium of gravity is maintain
ed; but suppose some power extrane
Gus to both should increase or diminish
if but for one single moment, or to tn
extent of one single pound, the attract
i've force of either, the small plane
must inevitably and instantly be draw
, with constantly increasing force an,
velocity to the other.
) To illustrate still further by using
diagram, which your types, Mr.. Editor
can form: