The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-02-08

its rapid fight, presenting first one
side then the other to the sun, thus
causing our days and nights. The
circumference "f the earthbeing 23.-
rs mila.. everyone on its surface is
nece ssarUy beiry rushed through
space by the enr,h's rotation, iude-
pendent Of it's forward motion at the
fierce speed Of 99s miles miles per
hour-we are going through space
two ways at once. We are travelling
in round numbers, one way 100 miles
per hour, while we are flying through
space at the awful speed Of 63,9OO
miles per hour in another direction
You see train travelling at GO or 20
miles an hour is not in it ut all, in
the way OF speed. The earth is turn
Jog toward the sun, this is why sun
rise is in the east, if the earth was
revolving in the opposite direction
sunrise would naturally he in the
west. The earth has one moon. So
much for the earth at present, so
we will take up the sun and the
closest planets to the bright orb.
THE sun.
The sun is forever aending forth
its brilliant light in svery direction,
far beyond the planets, causing their
long shadows to stream out in the
opposite direction. Their shadows
never reach the earth from the fact
that all Of them travel in an orbit
outside Of the earth's S orbit, and never
come between it and the sun, with the
two exceptions Of Venus and Uranus,
which planets revolve between US
and the sun, but are so far distant
from the earth that their shadows
do not reach the earth. The sun is
the gceat center around which all
the heavenly bodies revOlvr. 1t is
S66 200 miles in diameter, being
considerably more than three times as
large as the earth, Mercury, Venus,
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune combined. 1t requires 300 |
days for the sun 10 revolve. The |
light from the sun is said to travel AZ |
the rate Of 1S3, 900 miles a second,
remember this as in future articles
we shall use the speed OF light in en-
deavoring to show the distance OF
of q Ey.I ,,forc
MERCURY.
Mercury is the closest planet to
the sun. His distance from the sun
is 35, ,9JS, 900 miles. lie revolves on
his own axes every 2l hours the same
as our planet the earth, but he makes
his diameter is 3,OOS miles,
with the same calculation shown
above rs to the earth, you can tell
how many miles this planet travels
in his IS days trip around the sun.
Mercury's orbit being within that of
the earth and ofNenus, it is the closest
known planet to the sun.
VENUS.
Venus, one Of the most beautiful
planets, aad the present evening star
until april both, is the next closest
planet TO the sun and its orbit is
closest to the earth on the sun side.
IL is Gbl9O,OOJ from the sun, and
%, 100000 miles from the earth, at
superior conjunction, that is when
.irectly between the earth and the
un. Venus is $50 miles in diane
or, rcvo!yeS upon its axis every 23
lours and completes its Journey
lronnd the sun in 22i days.
MARS.
Mars, the planet OF which tn, re IS
nore talk OF than any Of the others,
eeanse it has been decided that
yidences have been discovered that
'ad astronomers t. believe that the
!anet IS inhabited, and Efforts ore
II l"o1 to establish some kind Of com
luhlcation with the inhabitants g
'hether this will ever be accom-
i'shed remains to the future. We
'pe 1t may be accom- mplishel. The
''!t OF Mars is the closest to that
the earth on the opposite side Of
ie earth from the sun, that is, Mars
making its Journey around the sun
ever comes between tho earth and
le sun. At opposition, that is when