Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-06

Announcement by Prof. Pickering
that there is o planet among the cutel
bodies of the solar system whose yeal
is more than 800 times longer than
that of the earth calls forth more
plaudits for the achievements OF moo
ern astronomy. The TACT tnat III
body has never been seen by the human
eve, but is declared to exist, because
there Is evidence Of its influence on
other planets, adds to the fascination
Of the discovery.
Commenting on this reported mem
Der of the solar system, which mas
an orbit far beyond that Of Pluto ano
Is called PLANET p" by Pref. Picker
ing, who believes that o total OF three
planets must be added to the known
system, the New York Sun states: AZ
does not appear that astronomers ~
general have great confidence IN Lne
methods by which Prof. Pickering has
arrived at his conclusions regarding
planets P, S and T. His calculations
are based chiefly en- apparent irregu-
larities in the orbital motion OF
Uranus, which may be due 70 the
attraction of undiscovered outer planets,
and on a grouping Of certain cometary
orbits which, he believes, the gravita-
tional influence of these planets mas
brought about. No astronomer, now
ever, doubts that undiscovered outeI
planets may exist. II tomorrow some
observer should ind a planet near one
of the positions Prof. Pickering mas
indicated. the man who scans the skies
from the West Indies would be haileo
as one of the mathematical wonders
Similar doubt is expressed by the
New York Herald Tribune, which op-
serves: 1.-THE deduction Will not De &C
cepted hastily, one imagines, by otner
astronomers. The slight waopieS OF
Uranus in It's orbit, upon which the oe-
duction chiefly rests, are iar rom Nee Ger
vet ,,pon this certainty depends the cal
culation of the unseen body. Perhaps
the strongest item Of Prof. Pickering s
evidence is that q second line OF argu-
ment. depending on comets, seems 70
him to support his deduction from the
planetary perturbationS. Tnere exist,
II is well known, certain families OF
comets the orbits of which are assocl-
ated with the larger planets OF Jupiter
and Saturn, presumably because the M
tense gravitational attraction OF THESE
planets has reformed the comets orDits
into their present shape. A series OF
known comets not previously Identified
with any such family, Prof. pickering
believes to be explained by assuming
Relationship with the unbound planet
which he believes to exist:
On the other hand, the Cleveland
News thinks that "the evidence OF the
new planet is, it seems, quite con-
elusive" while the worcester Evening
Gazette asserts: 1.-The Pickering planet
has not yet been seen, but II watcneo
for in the right quarter by an observer
in the Southern Hemisphere II some Gay
will be. And 1t will look IKE oisk In
the sky-like small. sniny goio piece-
!. r,oss sn times that of the earth" The
Ge zetfe is impressed by the fact that
Sthe feat of Adams and Leverrier mas
twice heen duplicated in two years, ana
c",on,snts GAS they located Neptune
from Studying the perturpations IN the
movements of Uranus, so ProIs. Lowell
anI p;cteT,ng worked from the known
to the unknown with equal success.
"Two new members OF Old Sofs
family have been introduced In Two
years" remarks the New Lonoon LAY,
suggesting that more are saio 20 DC
somewhere out there m space, VINE
the Buffalo Evening News coMmen.s,
Astronomy long since nrougnt Ns
demonstrated facts far beyond the lin
its of the most unfettered human
imaoination." recording that the SCI
entist IL convinced that this body IS
"inferior only to Jupiter and Saturn In
size" The News makes the suggestion;
AFTER Ali II miles could be substituted
In the understanding for millions OF
miles IL would not seem so wonderful
that earth. towering around the sun at
a distance of about 90 miles, should
have q sister planet 1000 to 1000 miles
farther out in space.
AS to thszsignthcance Of the an