Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-05-12
Facts About Planets.

loveliest object in the heavens, the even
ing and the morning star, resembles
! closely our own earth. Its size is al
most the same, its diameter being 1860
miles; its day is almost the same length,
and its density is rather less than five
times that OF water. 1t revolyes round
the sun OF Q distance Of 60, OOG,OO miles
in the space Of 224 days. Like Mercury,
however, Venus is moonless. Passing
the earth in the meantime, we come to
the well-known red planet Mars. The
planet is particularly interesting in
many points of view. Next to Mercury
It Is the smallest of the four interior
planets, its diameter being only 4, ZOO
miles, or . little more than half that of
the earth or Venus. It's distance from
the SUN is 141, 0OO, 600 miles, and it CON-
pletes its circuit in 6S7 days. The
length Of It's days does not differ mate
rally from that of our own. Mars has
two moons, and one of them presents
: phenomenon unique in the system.
No other moo behaves like this one,
TOR it goes round Mars about three times
every day that is to say, it goes faster
round Mars than Mars does on it's own
axis. Imagine our moon rising and
setting three times every twenty four
hours! Another interesting feature IN
Mars Is this: We can see through Our
telescopes what seems to be the con-
figuration Of it's continents and oceans,
and also accumulation of snow ut it's
poles.
We next turn our attention to the
other group Of planets-Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus and Neptune. These are dis
tinguished by their enormous size, inn
mense distance from the sun, rapid
revolution ON their own axes, and very
small density. The change from Mars
to Jupiter is indeed remarkable. The
latter planet, familiar to every observer
Of the heavens, is indeed q giant among
giants. In mass it is equal to all the other
planets put together, its diameter be-
ing So. 900 miles, and it's distance from
the sun $50, 000, 900 miles. It takes
1882 days to complete its yearly revo-
luton. Although of such enormous
dimensions, it turns on its own axis in
less than ten hours. From the small
density Il :3S) of Jupiter, we should
imagine it TO be composed, in great
part at least, Of fluid or gaseous matter
not yet cooled sufficiently to form solid
land. From certain phenomena on it,
surface it is evident that it is almost
completely enveloped in clouds, and it
Is doubtful II We have ever actually seen
the real solid nucleus of this planet.
Jupiter is attended by four moons,
which revolve around him at various
distances. The study OF these bodies is
Of great interest; from watching
their movements we got the
first hint Of the velocity Of
light. Next in order in our iour-
ney comes Saturn, ct a distance of 1884,
Co., COO miles from the sun, and taking
no less than 10, $50 days to complete its
revolution round that luminary. This
planet, though less than Jupiter, is still
OF gigantic dimensions, it's diameter be-
ing 71.000 miles. Saturn is the light
est OF all the planets, its density being
only O.75. 70 that If placed in q huge
ocean it would float with q fourth OF its
bulk above the level of the water. The
most remarkable thing, however. about
this planet is the system Of rings by
which il is surrounded. What these
rings are has long been q puzzle to as
tronomers, but the rlost plausible ex-
PLANTATION seems to be that they are
composed 81 myriad hosts Of small me
teoTic bodies circulating at some dis
lance round the body Of the planet.
Saturn has no less than eight moons
under its control, and if it has amy inhabi-
tants like ourselves-which is notiikely,
however-the heavens must be q strange
sight to them, with these eight moons
and Meteoric swarms - CdsselHs Fam
sf,y lEv0ux;ao