Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-16
Distance of the Sun.

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$500 ,,N - -
49, =, a,s.,. S." 49,, 80 -,
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''o''uo" 49, ' -. -"
oonseNo ma ""'' - 'lo"' -
80 'V"'e 80 AZ
49,
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80 "a" ,"..,. "a -,
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N" 80. - y. 80 -. - :, -. 80, Ii.
- ., 81 -
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-. - ,hs, >, a.. ,.,h..,,.n,, =, ,,s
-,
go =, 80 x,,-.
80 800 Al a., sl-, -.
e.''"iA'e .ue u's'a"oo Vi 'no 'u"' w
OF ninety millions OF miles away.
But In some respects our prisoner is better
sjtuated than the Inhabitants of the earth
.t,,, .h...vo. ,,,,,, a., 90. -. . It'll.
1'e ~ one
set OF INSTRUMENTS is not uouoieo WIN the
numerous important considerations which
affect the value OF the work done IN two OBJ
sarvatorIe. .t,uat.d nm onnosite sIlea of the
80, ~ ~ 80
ea''n D'he'en' oos'i 'e's-e"@u VIZ" n'e
peculiar, perhaps variable, personal equa-
u
observer having co,nnleted n series of obser-
.,t a. - tu,.. -. oo..
~ " pn0@' '1S
new series t"heh, perhaps, important cnahg-
es may have occurred In his observing quail
ties) i'm another ID ferent instrumepts each
Nth 60 n.cuI,.r .i,s,rrn.n,.I eo,.tion -
80. 80
'hu'. oc euipioyeu' VI e'Se INC Sanie ins'iu
ment must be transported, at the risk OF all
sorts OF changes In its performances, from one
-. -, -. b.. L. ., >. .ta.-.a
" ~ ~ W 10
And, In fact, the attempt to obtain any ap-
proach to q knowledge OF the suns dsta nc Q
simplv by making use of a base line on our
LII 81 -. 4, ,,o,,o,,o.a .h,o,,,.I
A' Coz Va may '' p''"'"SN
nopeiess
Now 10 return Tor moment 10 our prison
er. IL there we're objects intervening between
him and the stee pie and IL he had by any
means obtained a certain knowledge OF the
re alive distances of the steepe and OF these
objects. 1t is clear his power over his problem
would be greatly increased. Let the reader
look from opposite sides of q window at Oh
jects unequally distant but nearly in the
same direction and he will Immediately see
the sort of use our prisoner might make OF the
knowledge we have spoken of. He may not,
indeed. know the exact mathematical princi.
pies involved Ia the prob en- nor would this
be the place to explain them but he will see
able in the new form o. observation.
Now, the observer on earth has at long In
tervals an opportunity OF grasping at some
such aid as we have conceived available 10
our prisoner. Venus and Mercury OCCASION
ally pass between the earth and the sun, aud
by observing their translts carefully from
different parts Of the earth astronomers have
been able 10 gain ulster conceptions OF the
SUMS distance than they could otherwise
have obtained All the difficulties, however.
which we have men toned above are moved
In the solution of this FORM also, o. the prob
lem
Yet with no other aid and with the COM
par. dyely Inefficient instruments of the last
century, Astronomers managed 10 determine
the SUMS distance with what may fairly be
termed wonderful accuracy-ccrtainly within
one one. thirtieth part of the true distance
This is as If our prisoner should determine
the steeple's distance within fifty or sixty
yards.
But the astronomers OF the present day,
using variety of delicate methods, into
whose nature we need not here enter, have
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