The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-05-14
Facts About Planets.

Venus, SO well known to us all as
the lovliest object In the heavens, the
evening and the morning star resem-
bles closely earth. It's sizeis about
the same, it's diameter being 1850
miles; its day is almost the same
length, and its density is rather less
than five times that of water. 1t re-
wolves round the sun at q distance Of
so, 900, 600 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. This planet is par
ticularly interesting in many points of
view. Next to mercury, it is the small
est of the four interior planets, its di.
ameter being only 1920 miles, or lit
tie more than half that ofthe earth or
Venus. It's distance from the sur is
141, OOC, 900, and it completes its cir
cult in 687 days. The length OF
it's days does not differ materially
from that of our own. Mars has two
moons, and one Of them presents a
phenomenon unique in the system.
No other moon behaves like this one,
for it goes around 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 ris-
ing and setting three times every "a
hours. Another interesting feature
in Mars is this: We can see through
our telescopes what seems to be the
confguration OF it's continents and
oceans, and also accumulations OF
snow at it's poles.
We next turn our attention to the
other group of planets-Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. These
are distinguished by their enormous
size, immense distance from the sun,
rapid revolution on their own axis,
and very small density. The change
from Mars to Jupiter is indeed re-
markable. Thelatter planet, familiar
to every observer of the heavens, is
indeed a giant amonggiants. In mass
it is equal to all the other
planets put together, it's diam
eter being no less than $4,000
miles, and it's distance from the sun
682, 100000 miles. 1t takes 4,332
days to complete it's yearly revolution.
Although of such enormous dimen-
sions, it turns on it's own axis in less
than ten hours. From the small
density-1.38-of Jupiter we should
imagine it to be composed, In great
part, at least, of fluid or gaseous mat
ter not yet cooled sufficiently to form
solid land. From certain phenomena
on it's surface it is evident it is almost
completely enveloped in clouds, and
it is doubtful if we have 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 velocity of light. Next in order In
our outward journey comes Saturn,
at the distance of 884, 00O, 900 miles
from the sun, and taking no less than
1O,759 days to complete it's revolu-
ton round hatluminary. This planet,
though less than Jupiter, is
still of gigantic dimensions, it's di-
ameter being 1000 miles. Saturn is
the lightest of ell the planets, it's dem
sity being only OTIS, SO that if placed
in a huge ocean it would float with a
fourth of a bulk above the level OF the
water. The most remarkable thing,
however, about this planet is the sys-
tenn of the rings by which it is sur
rounded. What these rings are has
long been a puzzle to astronomers bus
the most plausible explanation seems
to be that they are composed OF myr-
lad hosts of small meteoric bodies
circulating at some distance round
the body of the planet. Saturn has
no less that eight Moons under Its
control, and if it has any inhabitants
like ourselves-which isnot likely how
ever-the heavens must be a strange
sight to them, with these eight moons
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