Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-06-24
OUR DISTANCE FROM THE Sun.
varying Estimates Made "T Wen of
Scicncc--AbOut 23. 0OG. 600 Miles.

aa'tffH|..H 4....s
The grand views Of magnitude which
arise in connection with the consideration
o. the physical condition Of the sun are, as
= matter 81 course. all dependent upon the
measures that have been made OF lis dis
taucc. Because the solar sphere has the
apparent size ot Il ouc-toot ball held lH-
feet away i muSt. therefore. bcahout -GO.-
OOO miles across if it be los times $50, OOO,
or 81. OO0. O0G miles away; that is, i'll Il
familiar form. the rationale of the process
10y which the idea of it's magnitude has
been acquired. Miss Clcrkc relates very
fully and charmingly the history OF the
lah0rs which have been devoted by scion
tifc men to attain exact accuracy i'll this
fundamental particular. 30 much the
greater pains have been taken in the mat
ter because of the distance Of the sun Is
uuayoidably the unit of measure which has
To he employed in making all further IN
designations rs to the prOtumdity OF space.
The scmi-diumetcr OF the carth's sphere Is
necessarily the fundamental unit IN aStro-
nomical surveys; and any error IN lis
determination is multiplied in IN miinitN
of WAYS in all further consideration "t
the planetary and stellar distances.
But the measure which has To he accom-
pliShcd in approaching the solution "i tins
problem i'm the most direct way Is about
the same thiug Is taking the apparent SIZE
at Il halt-pcnny when held 1000 feet from
the eve. This is the amount which j. known
Us the horizontal parallaN OF the sun; that
Is. the difference of the position which the
sun holds in the ylst field at space among
the stars according ~ IL Is viewed from one
or the other extremity at the hali-dLIhtctrl
of the earth. The transitS OF Venus have
been employed ~ IN indirect means "i
Getting al this measure through the
intervening stages of the mathc-
NAUTICAL calculations. since the first
introduction of the method by li"r-
rocks in 1861. During the last 3" tran
SitSoi Ncnu~-thoSr which occurred M ISL
and lSS2-thc most strenuous efforts were
made by the astronomers of civilized M
lions To yet Is exact = measure 'N WAS pos
>ihlc. In ISL eighty distinct stations,
scattered all over the most suitable por-
lions of the earth, were established al an
expenditure of nearly Il quarter Ola mil
lion Of dollars. Eut the result Is that the
method. 81 long cherished - the llNorltr
one Of astronomers, i now found Ia have
failed them. 1t is universally admitted hy
all that the sun is considerably nearer 10
the earth than it WAS conceived 10 br - few
years since. Hut. 81 ir rs the transit oh
.>,rya,ion~ are concerned, Mr.. stone
niy,S 81. 30. 600 miles at the cor
rrrtrL distance derived from IN"
observations OF 1874. VI. Faye gives ~
1000 O miles; Professor Young, ~. ~, uOo,
and Dr. Ball, %. 900, 900. Doctors there
fore disagree in this matter very mate
rally. From the transit observations Of
lN~2 the probable error wis held by Pro
lloulrau. the hate director at the
BRUSSELS observatory, who devoted great
labor and care tn the reduction and cow-
I~riri>nn of the calculations, tn amount Ia
gnu. OUO miles either way. or 10 Il total nm
certainty of |, son. OOu miles. ~ Il COM
consent OF the hr~t authorities the
pnS>iLlr error in the measure Of tl" suns
distance 10y this method Of observing i
held to he not les certainly than ! .1o0,O 600
miles.