The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-17
JUPITER, THE GREAT.
.u,.RrrIEs OF THE KING OF
fBCoL TUE PLANETS.

THIS kemo-.,,re. and lon Most
s"sv."t discoveries OF the As'r''"
-. ,o,, outer planets there is one which
VI .oc..ible TO our observations. Ju-
"a sVev~,.s,,r than either Saturn. uranus
piter ~ and therefore on that account
or Hev-orid ba obviously easier to observe
alone - any of the other three, even X
Jupiter Iii hcen At equal distances from us.
they . ,,aeed 90 vast that II the other plan
Jnp'e, .v,,sm had all BEEN rolled together
sp ,hsir united volume would not 90 90
inpo o"" a. tina. OF Jupiter. But Jupiter also
srea' - n. much nearer 10 the earth than
nAvs~r-of the other great planets. IL theretoro
heAn ,r a double reason that this vast
onV x.-. N the astronomer q surprisingly
fi"oo obiec. whose details he can exam
-. rndsr exceptional advantages.
- arst nut down some numerical
".,h -erard n tho dimensions OF this
's,.nan globe and tho track IN when IL moves.
80" III ,he other planets, Jupiter. ,ot.course.
",,.. ,n-an elliptic path around tho central
49,, The average distance OF the great
"", 49,, .hc sun IL 4s2. 900. 900 miles. The
p"... which he io,lowsis therefore rather
49,. than Ave times as great In diameter as
=. a.. nath pursued by tho earth. The clip
..., NJ Jupiter. however, de parts ap-
N..h,y from the circular form. inasnuch az
:. .ome,!mes ind the distance OF tho planet
.sor the sun TO be as great as o.4o. and some
,tm,,.s little as +.95. II IN each case We axe
N. average distance from the earth to the
ann A. the unit.
Tn. most favorable circumstances for OBJ
..,,ins the planet will be found when the
,.r,h lies directly between the sun and Ju-
,l,,r. While at the same time the earth Is at
n. greatest possible distance and Jupiter
a, It's least possible distance from tho sun.
Bu, even ON the rare occasions when these
eonditions are fulhlled Jupiter must still DO
nearly four times as far from the earth as tho
ssrth Is from the sun.
IL i.a rule in the celestial movements that tho
moro distant Is the track OF u planet from the
snn the slower is the pace at which the orb
uores forward on Its mighty journey. The
,.rth has to hurry on at the rate Of eighteen
uDe, a sesond IN order 10 its jour
,sy round the sun within the allotted year.
But Jupiter. though IL has q much longer cir
eui, 70 accomplish, Is much more leisurcly in It's
procedure. The great planet. In fact, moves
only eight miles In each second. This no doubt
pems q very high speed when measured by our
ordinary standards Of velocity, such as those
possessed By express trains or rifle bullets.
There is, however. another way Of Judging Of
The speed of planet which is perhaps moro
appropriate to the case than any comparison
VITA the movements OF relatively small objects
Inc railway trains or rife bullets. Let us think
Of the time that Jupiter would require to
move through the length OF his own diameter.
The equatorial diameter OF the planet Is ST.
SO miles. being about eleven times that Of
Tie eafth- As Jupiter moves eight miles per
seond. or about $50 miller q minute. IL Ia easy
~~t., ~. ,,,r., ,.o,t-.. - -"
70 sr'hs' u0 s'~"e ietNHe' p0'ioo VI hos
less Than three hours 10 move through q dis
tlncs equal 10 its diameter. Looked At
81. g. ~. .,..a a, I,n,,.. -. -
enough. We should not consider q missile
10 Be moving quickly which re ,uired three
h,r. "A .dv,no. ,brorgh . d,.,.n.. go, ..
et1~A !"
Ora a, thu mo., sm.rk.h,. s..,pr.. .o,,..
~ 80, 80. .. ~ w1eS
'no aonofiuAhs hlRn
sc~A which ne rotates around his axis. Not
vttAstsndinf the hugo bulk of Jupiter. wa
$3.50. -.,.. -. - 49,
noa nas no requires musn less time 10 as
conpish . revolution than does the earth.
: For vhls ozr rlobe takes .bopt ,vs,,r.,op,
"A -.Lu-y... - "
II sufn' . 100 tnas 'upi'
tr spcs round In less han halt the Same time.
Indeed, the psr,od OF rotation of thu great
nina. n A., -. a.. n 49, 80 -
v no'o thhh y hours ooh MIN
utea With this rapid spin about his axis an
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