The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-29
Ultra. MarcnriaI Planets


iavoring our coast with an address upoI
what may be learned from the features O.
the total eclipse Of May 9Th, which wa
we'll obeerved in Caroline Island. TIL,
vulcan or intra- Mcrcurial planet in.
quiry has been floating upon the pub.
lie mind continually since October
1876, when the news reached us that lie.
! verrier requested universal observations to
be made for an expected transit. We have
now not only all the basis that Leverrier
had for trying to solve the question OF the
planets existence and its apparent revolu-
lions, but we have had several subsequent
experiences. and the comments arising
therefrom again brought down to two 70.
cuSos at the last eclipse. Professor Holden
gave us one, his non-obSeryance OF the
planet, and now Professor Trauyelot an
nounceS possible rediscovery during the
same eclipse. II this should prove fact.
then Il tends to show that Professor
Holden failed TO observe il from the
same cause that failure was attributed
on July 90. 1878, that Professor Iol-
denis glass was inadequate to reveal
even a star Of ~ magnitude so near the
sun. (Sce Scientific American supplement.
October ;. 1879 And yet il is almost in
u
travel 10000 miles with the same glass
after such an experience. Professor Wat
sons, u well rs Swiits, were said to be
better instruments. 1t is in order that
some explanation should be given, low
ever. And a fuller explanation is required
OF the position and size OF the star that
NJ. Trauyelot believes he observed. The
large but distant planet Neptune was. |
believe, within three days Of being in con-
junction with the sun on May 9th. and
must have been very near il then,
therefore; but surely the French rs
well as American and English par
ties were at least furnished with alma
macs. If not with charts. OF the positions OF
the stars and planets May 9Th, and now il
IL July llth--time to determine the matter
in the interim over and over again, one
might suppose ; so that al least now there
ought 10 be no doubt whatever what the
observed object was. The chief use of the
eclipse observations, rs regards Vulcan.
should be the determining OF q new start
g-pOint-whethcr it points, as Professor
liolden'S nOn-ObservanCe does, 10 the planet
being in superior conjunction and occulted,
or at given place in its orbit, as Professor
Watson's was i'm 1873, and rs NJ. Trauve-
lots possible observance suggests. On
either hand we want assurance, however,
and surely before NJ. TrauvclOt returns
East the matter could be cleared up,
either at Professor DayId.on's observatory
or at the Lick Observatory, by simple
reference TO known positions OF the stars
and planets May 9Th and the sun and moon
at Caroline island. There ought to be no
necessity TO wait until returning TO Eu-
rope. Assuming, therefore. that the mat
ter can be settled in few days whether
NJ. TrauyelOt'S star may be the planet Nul-
can, why are we not prepared to review
now all the points Of the inquiry right
through VI. Trauyelot may be familiar
with the thirty or more alleged obseryances
that Lcverrier referred to, and may have
long since formed conclusions as to their
proper grouping, dcnoting two or
more planets, or perhaps a planet hav-
ing satellites. Professor Young and Pro-
iesSor Holden may be expected to be
equally familiar with them, and the Ques-
ton presses, therefore, What results do
they point TO in connection with still more
recent experience? Leverrier was. ] be-
lieve, more disposed than the Americans
10 accept first any wcll-reported ObServa-
tons. and sift the evidence afterward, but
use them rs possible links in the chain OF
evidence meanwhile. and il might be best
to follow this principle throughout. Let
us glance at the facts. Leverrier was try
ing TO find the time in October, 1876,
when transit might occur. Mean
while MI. Wright, at San Bcrnardino,
October oath, with his family, be-
lieved he made the discovery, and OBJ
served the motion for two hours, photo
vraphed the positions, and published 1t in
the Scientific american OF November -,
1876. This observation, Of so much inter-
est to California, did not receive the atten-
ton from eastern astronomers that it should
have done, bat was acknowledged by John
II. Ticq, OF st. Louis, in the Scientific
american OF December 1G. 1876. lie also
records an observation OF his own, Sep
TENDER II, 1859, and allies it with Mayors,
March -, 1858. Aymor de Ia Baume. OF
Paris. had some correspondence with. Mr..
Wright and myself in 1881 and 1882, and,
believing in classification Of observations,
refers MIR. Wright of October a, 1876, to
the series commencing with Lichteuburg,
November 10, 1862; Hoffman,, Nav,
l7G4: Scott and Wray, June, 1917,
and Ritter and Schmidt, June IL,
1855, while Friisch, October 10, 1902;
De Cuppe, October ,, 1889; Les
carbault, March 2G, 1859, and Lummis,
March 10, 1862, he believed belonged to
another series. Mr.. Tice considered that
the two series were two planets 1902 apart,
or rather the one large planet and the
other a satellite. NJ. de Ia Baume also
noted the fact of Lichtenburg, Scott, and
Wrights planet being much larger than
Lescarbaulfs. Ticc computed the appa-
rent revolutions at 1902 days, and If we
take Leyerrier's intervals from January |,
1850. 10 Nav 6, 1888, we find that it gives
.. l3i revolutions and 12.SS days remainder,
or only 1.31 days exceeding another hall
revolution, placing the planet little past
superior conjunction, as have already III
dictated by my computation Of
1905 1I-24
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