Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 Excerpt:...es hote and moyste and does weel til al thynges and noyes nothing." Motiok In Space.--Jupiter revolves about the sun at a mean distance of 475,000,000 miles. His orbit has much less eccentricity than those of the smaller planets. Were his path very elliptical, the attraction of the sun would be insufficient to bring him back from its extreme limit, and the huge unwieldy planet would plunge headlong into space. This careful fitting, whereby the plan is always modified to accomplish an end, is everywhere characteristic of nature, and is a continued revelation of its common Author. The revolution of Jupiter among the fixed stars is slow and majestic, comporting well with his vast dimensions and the dignity conferred by four attendant worlds. He advances through the zodiac at the rate of one constellation yearly; so that if we locate the planet now, a year hence we can find it equally advanced in the next sign. Yet sloAvly as he seems to travel through the heavens, he is bowling along through space at the enormous speed of 500 miles per minute. The Jovian day is only equal to about ten of our hours, while his year is lengthened to about 12 of our years, comprising near 10,000 of his days. Distance From Earth.--Once in thirteen months Jupiter is in opposition, and his distance from the earth is measured by the difference of the distances of the two bodies from the sun. At the expiration of half this time he is in conjunction, and his distance from us is measured by the sum of these distances. Dimensions.--Its diameter is about 88,000 miles, or one-tenth of the sun. Its volume is 1,400 times that of the earth, 'Pig. 57. and much exceeds th at of all the other planets combined. Seen at the distance of the moon, this immense globe would embrace 1,200 times the...