/454 THE >•. HEAVENLY BODIES: HOW THEY MOVE AX1> WTI^VT :MOVTi:S THEM A NEW THEORY. BT DUGALD MACDONALD .Pontrrn! : PRINTED AT THE "GAZETTE" PRINTING HOUSE 1877. THE HEAVENLY BODIES: HOW THEY MOVE IXD AVHA^T MOVIES TIIEM A NEW THEORY. IT DUGALD MACJ)0NAL1). ;.'!•.' • , : * • ' : ! • . • ' • ■" ' * '•■'■'■.... •'■•,*.* • » . Ill , IRontreai : PUINTKO AT THE 'GAZETTE" PRINTING H ISE. Entered acconlinsr to Act of riirliamcnt. in the Yciir One Thousand Eijrht Hundred and Seventy-Seven, by Dugald MArDO.SAi.o. in the Office of tho Mini.inions which I have formed respecting the cause of motion of the heavenly bodies are correct, I conceive it my duty to give them to the world. I am not aware that they are wrong. This is a question for the public to decide. Plato savs "that where two things are equally uncertain, wisdom directs us to choose that which is most boneliciLil to mankind." If my opinions are correct, the world will be the gainer ; while, if thev are false, the world will have nothino- to lose. In the following i)ages I will bo guided, 1st. By facts recorded in Holy Scripture ; 2ndly. By the laws of Natural rhilo.soi)hy ; 3rdly. By the testimony of astronomers ; 4thly. By what I see with my own eyes ; and othly. As in Mathematics, I will accept conclusions which are not intuitively certain, but only when I cannot conceive the contrary to be true. To do justice to the subject, I am confident that it should be treated at greater length than I propose to do in the following pages. My object is simply to p^Ui KO givo my theory to the world. If it should m«»etwith ii favorable roccptioii, it is my intention to publish at a future day a much lari^vr volume, in which I will deal at greati'r len*»th on the various questions connected with the subject. Hitherto, th«' spots on the sun have occasioned considerable speculation. It will be noticed that in the theory which I now place before the public, those dark spots on the sun play a very important and prominent i>art. It was with a spirit of reverential enquiry that I entered into the consideration of the subject. I now rise from it with awe, and wonder at the impiety of a class of men who deny the doctrine of a Divine Providential Government of the world. DIKJALD MACDONALD. JIONTHEAL, Oct(»bcr, 1877. CONTENTS. (MAi'TKlt I. CauBO of motion of tbo lunvt-nly bodits— OpiiiionH of Hcietitific iiit'ii oil the >iil>jfi t T — 10 ( IIAITKU II. Whctlur the motions of tlic lu-iivciily Ixxlii h an.' dm; to ii imtiual or Mipfiimtural niiisc 10 — 12 (IIAITKU III. (.'ivjitioii of tlic world I ! — 10 CIlArTKU IV. That tlu'io i.i a imiliiun in ^pace 1<) — 18 (IIAI'TKU V. The nocohsity for tlie prihciaf of a niciiiiiin in sjiacr ID — 21 ( IIAI'TKU VI. That the hiat of thi- »\\u cjimsc.> tlic motion of tlic luctlinni. . . . 21— 23 ( HAITKU VII. A chapter t<\' explanations '.! i — 2t CHAl'TEK VIII. That the motion of tiie nudiiini (aiiHestiie sun to revolve on ItHaxis 21—27 CHAPTER IX. That the revolution of the sun on its axis causes the medium to revolve round the sun 27 — 27 ("IIAriKR X. The two motions of the medium explained 28 — 28 C'lIAlTKIlXr. Wliat cauHrH tilt,' t-nrtli to itvoIvo on Itn uxIh 29 2f> cHAiTER xrr. What cauHi'H tlic iii<»<»n to revolve aiiiiiiid tlit* t'nill o'.t 30 CHAlTEUXIir. TlUit tlu' iru-(|iialitirK of li<>at on the hud'h Biirfacc account for the elliptical motion of the pInnctH ronn«l (he n\w ;io 32 (•IIAITEHXIV. Knt ke'« comet 33—34 CHAITEUXV. SuppoNitionH neceHHary to explain the peculiar niotionn of the « "'ni;tH 34—37 CIIAPTEK XVI. The cniiKe of the peculiar niotltm of the comets cxplalnc*! us 29 CHAPTEll XVII. Why the earth and the planets do not fall into the sini ■{(> 40 CIIAITEU XVIII. Why the planets mov(> (piickly near the Run and slowly at n distance from it .11 42 (•IIAITKU XIX. (Jenoral refliJCtiong on the sulije* t 40 44 THK HEAVENLY BODIES: Hoxc they More, aiul What Mores Them. CHAPTER I. CAUSE OF MOTION OF THE HE ENLV BODIES — OPINIONS OF SCIENTIFC MEN ON THE SUBJECT. I DO not pretend to have read all the opinions that scientific men have written on this subject. It is most remarkable, however, that those astro- nomers to whose writings I have had aceess, are by no means unanimous in their opinion as to the natu- ral cause oi' the motion of the heavenly bodies. Sir Isaac Newton says : — " But yet, I must profess, I know no sullicient natural cause of the earth's diurnal rotation." " The planets and comets will constantly i)ursue their revolutions in orbits given in kind and posi- tion, according to laws above explained. But though these ])odies may indeed persevere by the mere laws of gravity, yet they could by no means have at first derived the regular position of the orbits themselves from these laws." Again he says : — " But it is not to be conceived that mere mechanical cau8<*s rould give birth to so many ivgulor motions." Hei'schtd the elder supposed it mii^-iit he •iravity. Prolessor Iieiiirises apitroaching A'ery nearly to the circular form : nor the fa«t that all these orbs revolve in the same direction around the sun; nor the lact that they all rot;ite on their axis in the same direction ; nor that equally singular ordinance which has conlined so many bodies within a bri«d' distance of the plane of the sun's equator. It appears a necessary tonclusion that the cause of the foregoing- arrangements is somethinu* profounder even than New^ton's principle — perhai)s some remotest fact in the history of the universe." Bulfon, in a most iniicnious manner, argues that the motion of the planets was derived from a collision between a comet and the sun. Mary Sommerville says that " Laplace has com- piited the probability to be as 4,000,000 to 1 that all the motions of the planets, both of rotation and revolution, were at once imparted by an original common cause, of which we know neither the nature nor the epoch."' Kiikwood saya : '' In takinix the mostrursory view of tho solar sysUMU. wo cannot Tail to notico the ibllowinu' inttn't'stinu" lat-ts : " 1. The sun rotates IVoni west to east. '• 2. The planets move nearly in the plane of the sun's ecpiator. " o. The orbital motions of j)lanets and satellites are from west to I'ast. •* 4. The rotary motions are in the same direction. •• 5. The rings oi Saturn move in tlu' same direc- tion. " (). The jdanetary orbits are nearly circular. •• The cometary orbits have dilferent peculiarities. •' None of the«e facts (he says) are arc(mnted for by the law of "ravitation. The sun's attraction can have no inlluence wluitever in determininu- either the direction of the plani'ts motion or the eccentri- city of its orbit." Araii'o says : - Everything- authorizes us to suppose thitthc nebulous particles are subject in the vast regions of space to forces of which we have no id»\i."" Lardncr. in sp^'akinu' of tlu' plnmMs and satellites, says : " They obey the laws of uravitation, but they do much more. They all mov«' in ellii>ses ; those ellipses diller i)ut very little from being circles ; their orbits increase in distance from the sun nearly iu retiular proa-ression ; those or1)its are nearly in the same i>lane, and their movements are in the same direction. Ac«'ordauce so wondrous, and order so admirable, could not be fortuitous, and, not being 10 enjoined by the conditions of the law of gravitation, must either be ascribed to the immediate dictates of the Omnipotent Architect of the universe above all laws, or to some general laws superinduced upon gravitation, which escaped the sagacity of the discoverer of that principle." Ennis, in his work on the " Origin of the Stars," ascribes it to gravity. CHArTER II. WHETHER THE MOTIONS OF THE HEAVENLY BODIES ARE DUE TO A NATURAL OR SUPERNATURAL CAUSE. There is a difference of opinion among scientific men in accounting for the cause of motion of the heavenly bodies. Some consider that it is due to a natural cause, while others ascribe it to the imme- diate interposition of Divine l^rovidence. How are we to determine this question V I om aware that I would be justiiied in assuming that the motion of the heavenly bodies is duo to a natural cause, with- out giving any reasons for the assumption ; but, before doing so, T deem it prudent to look around with my eyes for the purpose of seeing whether any motions take x)lace in the world, and to enquire whether these motions are due to a supernatural or to a natural cause. I ])ehold the tender leaf 11 trembling on the tree. I see a ripple on the river, I see huge trees pulled from the roots and dashed upon the ground. I have seen mighty ships tossed on the angry billows of the ocean. I see clouds moving in the heavens. I also see vapor arising from, and rain descending on, the earth. These are a few of the motions which I see around me. The same cause which makes a leaf tremble creates the hurri- cane. We know that these motions are due to a natural and not to a supernatural cause. We know that the heat of the sun acting on our atmosphere causes the motion of the air. If the air were always at an equal temperature, the wind would not blow, the air would not be in motion ; but so soon as the atmosphere becomes more heated in one place than at another, the equilibrium is disti^rbed, a move- ment results — this movement is wind. It carried the commerce of Europe, of Asia and Africa. It filled the sails of the "Pintn," and Christopher Columbus discovered America. It ground the corn of our forefathers, purifies the air of our cities and towns, scatters the clouds, distributes pollen and seeds, and preserves vegetables in a healthy state. "The mass of water in the tropics," says Lenz, " warmed down to a certain depth by the sun's heat, cannot maintain its equilibrium with the colder water of the middle and higher latitudes ; a How of the warmer water from the equator to the poles must necessarily take place on this surface, and this surface- How must be supplied at the ecjuator l)y a How of colder water from high latitudes, which would at. 12 first flow in an almost horizontal direction, but which under tin* f(|uator must rise IVom below to the surl'ac*'. In this inannei', in tho northern hemi- sphere, a ^-reat vertical circulation takes place in the ocean, which has its direction above I'rom thee(|uator to the i>ole, and below ironi the pole to the e([uator. Since thesi^ Hows, moving* in opposite directions, are distinii'u .shed by their ditlerent temperatures, we observe in the submarine isotherm an indi<-ation oi" the direction of the lower i)ortion of this How. A corr(\spondinu" How. but moving- in the opposite direction, takes place in the southern hemisphere ; so that in a zone surroundinu* th;' equator, where the two Hows meet, the water Hows almost in the direction iVom below up to the surface." "We have now seen that there are motions on and over our earth, and that both are due to a natural cause, viz., the inlluence of the sun u}ion air and water. From these i'acts I I'eid justilied in assuming that the motions of the heavenly bodies are due to a natural cause, — and this assumption will be consid- erably strengthened if I can show that there is something' in spice on which the heat of the sun Avould act. and thereby cause that something to moA'e in a manner somewhat similar to that of our air and water. 13 fl C'lIAPTElMII. f'REATloX OK TIIR WoIIID. Fortunatoly Uiorc lu-f no rival hislovinns whoso narrativos are contradictory in rouard to tli»» events which occurred anterior to, and at ihe time of, crea- tion, particuhirly as to those events wliieh occurred between the lirst and fourth days of creation. The facts recordiMl in reference to those four (Uiys are sufficiently nernlexini;' to tlie mind to ( ause us to cong'ratulate ourselves on the ubsiMice of histories recording' the same events; particularly if tliey contradicted the statements of each other. Profane history stands as a monument of the men- dacious spirit of man. There is scarcely a < haracter or fact in history hui is painted in o]>posit" cohnirs. Holy Scripture ini'orms us of certain facts resj>ect- ing the creation ol the world. 1 must «Mther accept or deny these I'acts. If I deny them. 1 should be prepared to i>rove that 1 was })reseni and saw w'ith my eyes what occurred durinu' those davs. I was not present, neither have I any record of those events with th;^ exception of that which is r.'corded in Holy ^Scripture. The creation of th<' world was the ait of an Omnipotent Creator, who desired or did not desire that the g-reat work ^\■hich lie accomplished during- those four days should ])e known. If that Omnipo- tent Creator desired that these events should not be 14 known, Ilis pow»M- ooukl havt' accomplished this end, no matter how learntnl or scientific the inquirer raiirht be. The knowledge of th?so events would have been buried in the Infinite mind of an Infinite God. On the other hand, if Al mighty God desired that the facts should bi' made known, His power was sufficient to ensure its accomplishment. Holy Scripture tells us that " In the beginning- God created heaven and earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep ; and the Spirit of CJod moved on the face of the waters. And God said, De light made."^ And light '^ ' ^ i^ ,^,K•■was made. And God saw the liiiht, that it was (> ' good: And He dividtMl th(^ light from the darkness." ■^' .- , ,»'. f" •it^'^' AVe are told that "darkness was on the face of the ■-— J ^ift^^''" Darkness, then, was not created on the first day. ;}" fi^.v-'^"-' It was sometliing that existed anterior to the first .V '"^ ''''' '-\*\ I .. i^c-^ ""^ '"' dav. AVe are not informed that God annihilated this 4, S ''''"'''"' ' , di^ii'kness. np^ i -*-'' '\ ' We mu.>-t either accept or reject the fact "that •«'>-«' /''**'V'..f ^ darkness was upon the face of the deep." ' TT^t "'"^ ^ AVh at is darkness .■• Is it something or nothing ? In answer to the first question, I may be informed that darkness is the negative or opposite of light. We are told by the same authority that God made light on the first day. What is light '? My reader may ajiswer that light is the opposite of darkness. "When God created light, was it something or nothing ? Light was the object of a special creation li) of Almij^hty (1(^(1. I am Ibrced to beliove that liffht ^ / „,.> is somethini?, and that darkiioss is somethiiiu" also, p '^i'"" *" «7,/w ]jet US now attiMHpt to suppose the contrary, and ',» .».v< ■• ^-^'""^ l)ohold how ridiculous it will apjH'ar : — "And i- ".^i^f;*^ nothinii; was upon the face of the deep, and })e nol/nug- made." We have now lii^'at an[ow, w^^ see that the sun, in a natural manner, "' ' '' " divides " liuht I'rom darkness ; while Almig'htv God "divided" liglit from darkness in a supernatural manner. How do we " divide " dross from gold ? How do we "divide" water from spirits? I answer, By lire. ;. -6- Then the finrof the sun, that most subtle of all the -^ , :■ c- /?(» / elements, "divides " the light from the darkness, and - _ performs in a natural manner that wiiich Almighty God, for four days, performed in a supernatural manner. But where is this darkness ? And where is this light ? i<; 1 Avill not tlovot*^ much time to answer th»\s»^ ques- tions. WlK'ie do we see these f I answer, Every- where. Wlien one is visibhi the other is invisibh>, but both ar<> })rt'sent everywhere throughout the whoki of space. I have ench»avoured to show that light and darkness are something! and that something- is diffused tliroughout space. That s})a('e is not empty, ])ut lull. -r ,. ,♦ ; 'j-'J'c ■: I'- U'-"-'' ^J . i> t «. V CC - f CIIAPTEK' IV. THAT TIIEKE IS A AlEDITM 1\ Sl'ACE. In th«' Bridgewater Treatise, "Whewell says: " The question ol" a plenum and vartnnn was I'ormerly much debated amonu' those who spsMnilateil concern- ing the constitution of the universe; that is, they disputed whetlier the celestial and terrestrial spaces are a])solutely full, each portion beinu' occupied by some matter or other ; or whether there are, l)etween the material parts of the world, empty spaces free from all matter, however rare.'" Then he goes on to say that " within the last few years facts have l)een observed which show, in the opinion of some of the best mathematicians of Europe, that such a very rare medium doi^s really occupy the spaces in which the planets move."' He further adds that " r^'asons might be oli'ered founded on the universal dill'usion of light, and on other irrouuds, lor bolioving" that the plaiiotury spaces c:ni- not be entirely free from matter of some kind. " Speaking: on this subjeet, Lockyer says : '• lilncke's Comet, for instance, now performs its revolutions round the sun in three days less than it did eiij^hty years a^^o. It has been aflirmed that this effect is due to the friction oifered by the ethereal medium." I consider it unnecessary to swell these i)nges by inserting" numerous extracts from authors who have written on the subject. Ihit what is this medium ? 8ir Isaac Newton calls it an " elastic mediimi." Lockyer calls it an " etherial medium."" Other writers call it the " luminiferous ether."" It is also calk'd the "ether of space.'" Since the year 1822 ^ome writers have called it a "resisting medium" from thi^ fact that Encke"s Comet is supposed to be retarded by it. However, the medium of space is matter of some kind, and matter presents itself to us under three conditions, viz : the solid, the liquid, and the gaseous. It would be rash to say that the medium of space was solid. It is reasonable to infer that it is a gas of some kind which probably enters into the composition of our atmosphere. Of every 10,000 parts of air there are — Oxygen 2,100 Nitrogen 7,750 AqueouH vapor 142 Cftrbonic acid gas 4 C'iirl'Uretted liydrogen 4 10,000 It will be noticed that oxygen forms an important part in the composition of the atmosphere. Chem- 2 18 istry tolls us tliiit oxyi'-oii was first callod " vital air," that " it is the only olemont which forms coinpounds with all othors." They further say that "it is tho most widely diilused and important of the element i, and by its agvn<'y combustion and life are alone sustained." In speaking of the sun, Lockyer says that " it is a glo))e of the liercest fire, compared to which a mass of white-hot iron is as cold as ire." When we rellect that its magnitude is 1,384,472 times larger than the earth, it seems reasonabh; to enquire from whence it receives those elements which contribute to maintain its heat and its llame. Silliman, in his Chemistry, says " that the most remarkable property of oxygen is the energy with which it sui)porls combustion." J ^■^^ .,,;. , :•" ^ It maybe considered somewhat speculative to ask ,. C t ,. ^•, -^ - whether the /iuht which God created on the first day '.>..-' ' * is oxygen, and the darkness which w^as on the , - , ""• face of the deep nitrogen, and that these supply ';' ,^ '1 ''' 'fuel to the sun; and whether lire (that wonder- '' ^'\ , S ,.ful creation of Almighty power, beyond which r<> ' "' Vmattor ceases to exist) became the material executive * / ^ {c. i'" *^* of His Divine will, dividing the lifi^lU from the dark- " ^^. ^}^^ fiess and performing all these wonderful phenomena ^, . t.. .^ i • '" , we see. However, I have shown by the testimony 1 ;<->r\::^'*'''*^of astronomers that there is a medium in space. In /''*''' • .^aV the next chapter I w^ill endeavour to shew the ^^^Lcs " *^'^ necessity there exists for the presence in space of Hwoh. i :aedium. '\'s>V^ cc C.{ -^'^ !•.•-' ;,.t.^ r^''"1,„ I ft/{>.K"-" i :.. /;V ' "^ ^JU<..^ i 1'.) CIIAITKR V. TIIK x\liCli:SSlTY l-'OIl 'llli: rilESKNCE OK A MEDIUM l.\ MWCE. What a poworl'al au'ciit is llio almosphi'vc \vo l)r«'athc! without it Hie wouldhrcoiiK' extinct on our nl()})i'. "Motion oil tlic earth would cease. The iires would ))e extiiin'uished. Ill I ho Manual ot' (leo- graphical Seioiice I r»';)d the iollowini^- : •* 11' the atmosphere were removed, and our organs ot hearinii' remained, as they now are, a death-lik«' silence would appear to us to pervade Nature. Jor all sound is conne()n their instruments, but uo sounds would ho heard, in {"act no sounds could b»> i)roduced. From v^^^tI i^cli^t'^ this it may he uiiderst(-»od that the atmosphere is^, *^ ^ t». >•» *c/ A- necessary, not only to convey heat,"*l)ut sound. Ji'^tx-^. v i^ ^ •_'t)^ we ai>i)lv this i)iincii)lo to the consideration ol' th«< •'. ^...♦'|- -^*^^ ^^ ^ ^ v.ic c;^'>' j**^ r tf subject, it UKiy r<'adily t'.jipear tluit a medium in space is necessary lor tlu; conveyance oi' heat to the y^^ ^^ ^■^,f,c0^f; Let us reflect for a moment. As I write this I fe*d that there is some operation going on in my mind, that I hav(} some idea- in rei'erence to the subject upon which I now write. J^'t us suppose that th(\se ideas are generated in the mind ; how do I manage in order to write th.'in on paper ? Is there not som^^ channel of • 20 coinnniniciition botwooii l!i«» orft'un of llio iniiul— my brain — and iho pap ju>*t ond«*avoure(l to writt' without ink; 1 find that th- poll would K^avo no marks. I rt»-lilh'd my jM»n, i\\u\ ondoavourod to write without loucliing tlic pajier ; I find that there is nothing on the paper. Th<' connnunieation between th«» i>ai)er and the brain was (J,., M)roken." 1 do not pretend to understand liow lh«' •^ ' ])rain conununieates certain motions to tlu^ pen, and how the p»'n registers, as it were, tlie thoughts of the mind; but of this I feel certain, that tliero is an unbroken communication between the paper ami tlie brain, and thai, if this communication wore not com- plete, any eflbrts of mine to gain results would be futile. I The sun, for instance, has some heat to convey to I t the earth, probably he desires to revive some droop- ing flower. How can the sun accomplish his end, un- less he have a direct unbroken communication witL ^ the flower ? J^et us see how the sun will do this. , ^, »^ " The sun will impart his heat to the medium of si)ace, Jitt^' '^" W ^ ^^^ medium of space will carry it to our atmosphere,* "^ e^^ ^^ ^ir*^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ atmosphere will deliver it to the flower. ^*'\y, ' "* '^'*^. ». V» If the heat of the sun is communicated to the earth - / ^*^'^*^»^'*^ ' i ^y ii**^^^i*^l means, then there must be a medium to ,[**'' , ^'\.. convey that heat. It is impossible to communicate ^i br^'*^ It' ' £^'- ^^^^^^^^^S" t^ ^lo^h^^S- The sun has heat ; the heat ," - tyv"-'''* [ i y' r ■ °^ *^*^ ^^"^ i^ necessary for the earth. It is necessary, J^r.Jf^l.K^ ■ ,. therefore, that the heat of the sun should reach the I -i li*J>^^' earth. If we had no atmosphere on our earth, neither; / -(^'\. ; ' (i.^ .- heat nor sound could be conveyed from one place tjO'' ■^^^ 1 1 I ! , HMotlior. I uin, thoi'i'lon', jiislilicd in l).'li«'vinM- that without II nu'diuui in sjku'**, tlio hcatof tlic sun could not I)" cojivcvcd lo llie earth, and th»'iti w OF TUK mi:diu.m. I have cndt'iivourod to show that tlior*' is a niodiuni in space. Let us suppose tliat this medium of space bears some resem])lance to our atmosphere. What eli'ect wouki th(» heat of the sun produce upon it V Let us suppose that ^ve enter into a hiru'e barn or open shed on a cold winter's day ; that there is no wind ; and that we build or make a lire in a large stove. "What eilect would tlie heat i)roduce on the atmosphere? The heat would iirst commu- nicate itself to the air surrounding the stove ; the hot air would then ily upwards, while the cold air would be continually descending towards the stove. The heat, then, of the stove, would cause a motion of the atmosphere. Let us again suppose that the barn or shed was closed, and that it was surrounded by something to exclude the cold. Let the stove oo 1)0 inado hot. AVhat oflect would the heat produoo upon the nir in the barn? The heat would first communicate itself to the air immediately sur- rounding the stove, and so soon as the air became more heated than that immediately above it, it would move upwards, while the colder air above woukl move downwards ; and thus a constant com- munication would be maintained between the stove and the top of the building- by means of the air : in other words, there would be currents of cold air rushinii' down in the direction of the stove, and currents of liot air rushing upwards from it. Let us now suppose that our globe is a ball of fire. AVhat effect would it produce on our atmosphere? We may readily conceive what effect this would produce. The air near the earth would fly in all directions from its centre, while colder air or atmos- phere would l)e continually falling towards it from all directions. AVe now see that a continual motion would con- tinue around the earth, and as far upwards as the atmosphere of the earth extended. Then, in answer to the question, what effect does the heat of the sun ]>roduce on the medium of space ? We may now ?, readily conceive that the heat of the sun would I *> -i <■ . affect the motion of the medium in a manner similar J 4- ^^'w^ '' ^ to what the earth, if a c-lobe of lire, would affect '^'^ «. c '^.^^ l^.dts atmosphere, viz., it would cause currents of ) \^ "''^^ . -i ' ' I ( medium to move with great power to and from the " UI^'''\m' - fenn. '"|A(^*''■^l '\^^ '\/'' -^'^^*^ ^'■^^'^^ of currents in space is not a new one. It 'Vc v^^ v" Vc-/ .,v^'^ ,.v-' .y .^? 0^"^' ^r.'-AK^ y s,^^- - ^v ^V^ v.^ .it*- .v" V i- , 23 was iirst proposed in France by Mons. LeSaae, and excited considerable attention at the time ; Imt he failed to assign any cause for the existence of currents in space. CHAPTER VII. A CHAPTER OF EXPLANATIONS. Were it not for the difRcnlties which stand in the way, this chapter would have been devoted to explain what causes the san to revolve on its axis. I must first show what little force is necessary to do so. ' ■ Let us now suppose Ihat the sun, moon, and all the planets, were removed from space, and that nothing remained but tho medium. Let us further suppose that a large, heavy ball were placed at some point in space — would that ball move ? The reader will most likely answer the question thus : No, there is nothing to attract it. But this is not my answer to the cpiestion. I answer thus : No, the ball is surrounded on all sides by \y.\ . iu v (jrAnu everything that is equal,' consequently it cannot /1.«.'f""^ (> move in one direction more than another. Lot us here reflect for a moment, l^ould the ball, if once set in motion, ever stop ? My reader, who understands the Newtonian Theory, will answer : No, there is nothing to stop it. My answer is similar. L'4 f *• Let us suppose that the ball is ai;'iiin stationary ; would it not bi* easy to move it. The reader will answer: That it would be an easy maiter to move the ball on its axis, no matter what size it might be ; »,(. '("'that a chihl could, under the cirrumstances, toss th - -•' hirii'est balls ever made, as easily as he could marbL-s. ''' ' •'" ^>. . Mv answt'r is exactly the same (X _„j^i^'- ^ '^•''' J-'ct us now suppose that this large ball was the ; i^-^ V^N 'sun ^. AVould it not be just as easy to movi' the sun 'J.J.'u'^ i '' V as the ball :* My reader will answer : '• Yes. ' '.\ly answer is cxartly the same. CHAPTEll VIII. THAT Till-: .MOTION OF THE .MEDir.U C.\raES THE srx TO ItKVOlA'E OX ITS AXIS. When it was proposed in l^higiand io (onstruct steamers ibr the purpose of ocean navigation, seien- tiiie men proved, to their own satisiaetion, that the idea was absurd. ])urin"' the davs of Sir Isaac Newton, and for centuries previous — yea, up to th-; time when the Plurnicians navigated the l']uxine and Medit(^rran(nni seas, and for many years after the death of Sir Isaac Newton — the world knew nothing of the mighty powr^r of lire ; its use. except for domestic purposes, was unknown. Since ihe days of Sir Isaac Newton, this element has revolutionized 25 t::t' commn-rial and maunracturing- industries of the V. orld. In the last chnptvr I siiowed how the heat of the Bun caused the motion of the medium. When we take into consideration that the diameter of the sun is 880,0.32 nules, this would give a surface u'i SMIG X 880,952 x H8G,952 miles of the " iiercest " lire, compared to which a mass of white-hot iron '• is as cold as ice."' AVhat a tremendous force do tlicse iigures convey to our mind. Let us suppose that the Si>iar system does not extend heyond the planet Leverrier. The extent of the solar system in that caso would be a sphere whose diameter would be 5.700.000,000 miles. If the following- operation i^ performed, viz. : 5,700,000,000 x 5,700,000,000 x • 5230, the n'sult will give the number of cubic miles of medium : the sun occupying the centre. I have already shown how the heat of the sun , would cause the motion of the medium ; that there .^ *-,.... >:V,f would be currents of heated medium moving in all , ^^^ ,,,,..,./' directions froin the sun, and from all directions to- wards it. " The sun," says Ennis, in his " Origin of the Stars,"' " is surrounded by a coating of ihimes from two to four thousand miles high. These flames, like all ' others, are in a constant state of agitation, and here and there send up ilakes much taller than the rest. As a supporter of combustion the sun is surrounded by an atmosphere visible to us nearly half a million of miles high, and therefore its entire probable height, includhig its invisi])le portion, must be two 20 millions of miles. In this atmosph .^re float immense clouds, some are eighty thousand miles high, and some are eiii'ht hundred thousand miles in breadth, which clouds may be regarded as the smoke and A'apor of the great conflagration. The body of the sun below the flames is a melted liquid mass, in which mass the chemical action or burning is chiefly taking place, and \vhich like our ocean is disturbed by general and special currents." *' In the neighborhood of great spots or extensive groups of them," says Herschel, " large spaces of surface are often observed to be covered with strongly-marked, curved, and branching streaks, more luminous than the rest, called feculoe, and among these, if not already existing, spots frequently break out. They may perhaps be regarded, with most probability, as ridges of immense waves in the luminous regions of the sun's atmosphere, indicative of violent accitations in their neighbourhood." The sun, then, is in the centre of a medium which must be in a state of the most extraordinary commo- tion. In the last chapter I showed how easy it would be to move the sun. Can we conceive it possible that it could remain unmoved in the centre of such powerful forces ? Let us suppose ihat the sun was a perfect sphere, and that the temperature at every part of the surface of the sun was exactly the same. The sun could not move for the reason that it would be pressed on all sides by every thing that was equal. But the M'isdom of Almighty Grod has placed spots on the 27 sun, and this fact tells us, as plainly as language can convey it to the mind, that there are inequalities of hearon the sun's surface— the perfect equilibrium is broken— the sun moves on its axis. r . » ,-v,rf <*'•. Ti » <^ V CHAPTER IX. THAT THE REVOLUTION OF THE SUN ON ITS AXIS CAUSES THE MEDIUM TO UEVOLVE AROUND THE SUN. Let us now suppose, for the purpose of illustra- tion, that we plunge a spinning top (iron), say two inches long, into a circular vessel containing three inches depth of water. The motion, or spinning of the top, will communicate a motion to the water, causing the water to revolve around the top. A top spinning on the floor also causes a motion of the air in the same direction. Now we may readily con- ceive that the motion of the sun on its own axis causes the medium of space to revolve around it like an eddy, the sun being in the centre. CIIAriJ- R X. THE TWO MOTIONS oK TIIK. ^IF.DIU.M EXPLAINED. In tho sixth cluiptt'f, I ^h<'\ .t] that iht^ lical of th(^ sun •\vouhl canso llio motion of tho nu'dium, thai there wouicl bo currents of medium moving* to and I'rom the sun. In the ninth ehnpter, I have shown that the revolution ol" the sun on its axi.s would causi' the medium to revolve around the sun. In order to convoy an idea of these two motions, it is necessary to premise a somevvhat extraordinary supposition ? "Well, now \H us imagine that the air is perfectly calm — that there is not a breath of wind. Let a balloon be s(^nt upwards, say to a distance of iifty miles. The balloon would r*'VoI\ e Avith the earth in the same direction. Let us aijain suppose that a .shower of shot had been sent from the balloon to the earth. If the earth did not move, the shot would fall in a straight line towards the centre of the earth. But the revolution of the earth and its atmosphere would cause the shot to be pulled out of a straight line. It will be seen that the shot would have two motions, viz., one in the direction of the centre of the earth, and the other with the earth in its revolution on its axis. Thus one motion of the shot would be due to the revolution of the earth, and the other, according to the Newtonian Theory, to its gravity. In like manner does the heat of the sun cause one motion of the medium, and its revolution the other. 20 CHArTEU XI. WJIAT CAU^IES THE EARTH TO REVOLVE ON ITS AXIS. T have already shown that the heat of the sun would cause the medium to move m currents to and from the sun. The earth would intercept these currents, one current would pass over the earth's atmosphere, wiiilo the other would pass under it. To illustrate this, tiikc a lead pencil, lay it crosswise on the palm oi your IciY hand, place the palm of your right oil ihe palm of your left hand, pull your left hand towards you, while you push your right hand from you. It will be found that the pencil will revolve ])eiwoeu the palms of your hands. In like manner does the earth revolve on its axis — the currents of medium acting as a belt, causing the i)lanets to move on their axis. CHArTER XII. WHAT CAUSES THE MOON TO REVOLVE AROUND THE EARTH. In the lifth chapter, I attempted to show how the sun, revolving on its axis, causes the medium to revolve around it like an eddy— the sun being the centre. In like manner the revolution of the earth on its axis causes the medium around the earth to revolve around it like an eddy, the earth ))eing' the centre. The motion of the medium carries the moon in it.<5- course around the earth, on the same principle that the planets are carried in their orbits around th(^ sun ; and in the same manner as the balloon would be carried around the earth if there was no wind. ClIArXEU XIII. THAT THE INEQUALITIES OF HEAT ON THE SUN'S SURFACE ACCOUNTS FOR THE ELLIPTICAL MOTIOX OF THE PLANETS AROUND THE SUN. In the fifth chapter, I stated that the presence of dark spots on the sun is evidence that there are i inequalities of heat on the sun's surface. I did not ' in that chapter give any reasons for such a conclu- sion. The scientific reader will readily understand that there wcTe over four million chances to one, that the sun would revolve on its axis. Even if there were no inequalities of heat on the sun's sur- face, facts show that it is not a perfect globe. In summer the sun is at a distance from the earth of about ninety-five millions of miles, while in winter the distance is but ninety-one millions of miles. 4"''^'-:^:;; 31 To account for ii diflerence of four millions of milos^ it should bo shewn that the sun varies in temperature about three and one-half per cent. Speakin!L>' of the sun's spots, Lockyer says : " Dilig-ent observation of the umbra and penumbra with powerful instruments reveals to us the fact that change is going* on inces- santly in the region of the spots. Sometimes changes are noticed, alter the lapse of an hour even ; here a portion of the penumbra is seen setting sail across the umbra ; here a portion of the umbra is melting from sight; here, again, there is an evident change; of posi- tion and direction in masses which retain their form. These enormous changes extending over tens of thousands of square miles of the sun's surface," he adds, " but while our clouds are made up of i^articles of water, the clouds on the sun must be composed of particles of various metals and other substances." Again, " some sx^ots cover millions of square miles and remain for months." Again, " now as we must get less light from the sun when he is covered with spots than when there are none." Lockyer further tells us that Mr. Balfour Stewart as-'M'ts that the dark spots are most probably in some way connected with the action of the planets, and that it is also known that the magnetic needle has its greatest oscillations occurring when there are most sun spots. The fact of there being present in the clouds par- ticles of various metals and substauces melting, ^s sufficient evidence that there are inec[ualities of lier.t on the sun's surface. Dr. Henry, of the Smithsonian Institute, found, by projecting the image of the sun 32 oil ascroeii, that the sjiots radiatod less hoat than thi> brighter portions of tho sun. Ijot us suj^posc that the Ruu was a perltH-t sphere, and that the heat ol' the sun was exactly equal at every portion oi' it, the medium would bi^ ailected in every direction in ex- actly tho same way. The temperature at 1,000,000 miles distance from the centre of the sun would, on all sides, be equal ; consequently, the propelling* pow or of the sun's heat on the medium would exerl anequnl force in all directions. We may now readily under- stand that, inasmu(;has the more heated portion of the sun would have the elTect of driving the medium to a greater distance irom it, so would the less heated ]>ortions of the sun have the effect of permitting tin* medium iu approach nearer to the sun. When the earth is directly op]iosite a heated portion of the sun, the earth is driven from the sun. When the earth is directly opposite a less heate there exist for the law of attraction ? To my mind it seems somewhat extraordinary, how any person could propost> any theory to account for the forces which are n^M-essary to keep the planets in their positions, before he knew the agency, and the amount of fovce which not only caused th" planets to move, but also kept them movinu'. According to th- theory which I have proposed for the considoration of the world, the sun is the capital of the solar system, and etuh planet is but a province of that system, and these provinces, as well as the sun are -eparated from each other by an unfathomable sea of medium. The heat of the sun causes the motion of the medium. The motion of the medium causes the sun to revolve on its axis as well as the planets. The revolution of the sun on its axis communicates a second motion to the medium causing it to revolve. The medium revolving, carries the planets in their orbits around the sun. By one grand law, the sun, in consequence of its magnitude and the intensity of' -.iis heatrniai^f tains itself in a • • • » I * \ / • ' • * - .* ' • » « • • * 44 central position, and exercises an inlluenrc n«nirly equal in every direction. The sun is not only the capital of the solar system, but it is likewise the throne on which is seated in roviil mauniiicencc that gTeat 1^'ire King- who rules the motion of the planets ]>y his heat — calls into existence all those inheieni j>voperties oi mi'tter, including that of gravity itself, and inrforiu^ all the wonderful phenomena we see in th' world. ; • « • • • < * . » « » • . * ■.'"• '%!•' ^'•-^'^^^*^ ■"■ ►, .- ;-^-|-:^>^;;^' '■^;^- V;'