Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-03
THE EARTH,S TWIN SISTER.
Points of Resemblance Between
Venus and Our Sun.

VAAAS VI neSetnOIdnCe ISetVGCn
Venus and Our Sun.
There are many points of resemblance
between the globe we tread and the planet
Venus. They are both of nearly the
same size, Venus being only about 800
miles smaller In diameter than the
earth. The seasons on Venus are be-
heved to be very like our seasons, since
her inclination to the plane Of her orbit
resembles that # the earth. The day
On Venus, according to the best esti-
mates Of the period of her rotation, is
only about half an hour shorter than
our day. The weight of bodies on Venus
Is nearly the same as on the earth. Her
year is only about 225 days long, instead
OF S65. and. being nearer the sun, she
gets considerable more light and heat
than Sc do. Sho has an atmosphere
more extensive than ours, which is visi.
bic at fines as ring of light around the
edge Of the planet Certain spectre
SEQ ic observations have led to heinfer-
ence that her atmosphere resembles ours
- It's composition. II she has an at.
mosphere like ours she undoubtedly has
oceans and rivers and clouds, and with
In fact, there is some reason to think,
from the telescope appearance Of
Venus, and her excess ,e brightness,
that her atmosphere is more cloudy
than ours. for the upper surface of clouds
reflect light as brilliantly as snow. Ii
this is so the clouds may serve to pro-
tect the Planets surface from the in
tensity of The suns RAYS. Mr.. Proctor
says If the similarity between Venus
and the earth clad Venus but q
moon as the earth has, we might doubt
whether in the whole universe two orbs
exist which are so strikingIy similar to
each other"
Tie question of Venus moon is enc of
the most interesting and puzzling in as
tronomy. Some astronomers pretend to
have seen Venus moon; others deny the
possibility Of its existence, not on the
ground that there is any physical reason
against it, but because the best modern
telescopes have never revealed its pres
enre. MIR. Proctor, after reviewing the
evidence, Is inclined to put Neaus'
moon In the category Of astronomical IL
Ms!ons. But then astronomers used to
talk confidently Of the Z" snowy poles of
moonless Mars" and now we know that
Mars has two moons. Moreover, these
moons have, since their discovery, been
seen with many telescopes which never
showed them before, SO that the mere
fact that big telescopes have not shown
Venus moon is rot conclusive evidence
that It does not exist.
The most interesting result that could
be obtained by the study Of Venus would
be the answer 20 the question, Is the
planet inhabited? At present the as
tronomers appear to be pretty unani-
moysly Of the opinion that if any one of
the suns family Of worlds beside the
earth is inhabited Venus is most likely
to be the one. The faith Of those who
believe IN the doctrine of the plurality Of
worlds, having been driven from the air.
less and waterless orb Of the ancient
NOON, and repealed from the fiery fur
mace Of the sun, from the deserts OF Mars
and the tumbling vapors of Jupiter and
Saturn, and being unable to penetrate
the mysteries Of far-away Urands and
NEPTUNE. may yet rest upon Venus.
There is the same round OF seasons and
aiterr atoms OF day and night; there is
cir, there is water, and the force of gray
ity is almost precisely the same as on
earth. Arguing from analogy, it may be
assumed that Venus is the dwelling
place of race like ourselves, who look
with admiration upon the earth as the
chief ornament Of their midnight skies.