The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-31

&Ss8E$sss613 5ss2s.s,.,s there are few
T$$sSSXHsS3S x more attract
S$$$s4& ESSS5aI ~ i've, interesting
SS$@SSSA%\N " and sublime
&&S$$S& than the mem
bcrs of the
planetary system, particularly those
visible to the naked eye. To the
thoughtful mind they are objects of
wonder and admiration, and in all ages
have been regarded as the most fas-
cnating orbs in the heavens, not only
on account of their peculiar movements,
but from the questions they suggest rs
to the existence of life in other worlds
than our own. Belonging to that i'm
mense world cluster Of which our own
world forms an important member,
probably no other celestial orbs have
aroused SO much interest and curiosity
in the popular mind regarding the sub
lime marvcls of astronomy.
The term planet is derived from the
Greek word, planctes, which signifies
wandering star" and, as applied to
this peculiar class of celestial bodies,
tho name would appear exceedingly ap,
propriate. At the present time the
number of planets known and recog-
nizcd by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the
earth and the asteroids or minor plan
cts" revolving between Mars and Jupi-
ter, of which more than three hundred
have already been discovcred-is seven,
their names, in order of distance from
Che sun, being as follows: Mercury,
Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. Uranus
and Neptune. A telescope, even of
small size. will greatly aid one in OBJ
serving planet, and those who are for
tunatc enough to possess such valua-
bic instrument, should frequently make
use of it if they desire to study the plan
cts with interest and profit. All those
planets that are visible to the naked
eye, except when near the horizon, ap-
pear to shine with Il mild, steady light,
while the stars arc always observed to
twinkle" or gli1nmer. giving forth a
changing and huctuating light 1t is
consequently an easy matter to distin-.
guish the planets and fixed stars from
each other. The stars are, to all ap-
pearances, permanently fixed in the
heavens, and do not change their rcla-
tive positions, us observed from the
earth. Hence, they have been very APP
propriately called the fixed" stars. If,
on the contrary, the position of any
planet among the stars be carefully OBJ
served from night to night, it will be
noticed to change its position in the
heavens quite perceptibly.
All diagrams or machines are made
quate to represent the distances and
motions of the planets, but the follow
ing comparison will aid one in obtain
ing d correct idea of the magnitude of
the planetary sy tenn: Choose a level
field or common, on it place globe two
feet in diameter to represent the sun.
Mercury will then be represented by a
mustard seed, at distance of So feet
from the center of the imaginary sun;
Venus by pea, at distance of lag
feet; the earth also by pea, at a dis
itance of els feet; Mars by small pep
per corn, at n distance of 327 feet, the
asteroids by grains of sand, at dis
'tances varying from 500 to coo feet. If
space will permit, we may place mod
crate sized orange nearly one-fourth of
mile distant to represent Jupiter;
small orange two-fifths of mile for
Saturn; a full sized cherry three-fourths
of n mile for Uranus, and lastly, plum
one and one-fourth miles away for Nep-
tune. the most distant planet known at
~ present time.
According to the above scale, the
daily motion of Mercury in its orbit
would be feet; of Venus, feet; of
the earth, l5s feet; of Mars, IL feet; of
Jupiter, lO19 inches; of Saturn, TX
inches; of Uranus, 5 inches, and of
Neptune, inches. This also illustrates
the fact, already mentioned, that the
orbital velocity of q planet decreases as
its distance from the sun increases.
While every intelligent person is
doubtless aware OF the fact that our
earth is planet, it is not generally
known that we are about three mil
lions of miles nearer the sun-and
therefore travelling fastcr-in midwin-
ter than we are in midsummer. On the
last day of December the earth reaches
its pcrihelion, Or nearest point to the
sun, and on New Years day it begins 10
recede from the sun. travelling more
slowly, until it arrives at aphclion, or
its farthest distance from the sun, on
the first day of July, after which it in
creases in velocity, and gradually APP
proaches its parent luminary for
period of about six months.
From the earliest ages the mighty
orbit of the planet Saturn was sup