A GREAT DISCOVERY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 396, 4 January 1909, Page 5

A GREAT DISCOVERY.

■■;.■. ' .—-—-♦-——-. . •■ NEW MAJOR PLANET. LOCATED BEYOND NEPTUNE. AMERICAN ASTRONOMER'S TRIUMPH. (fiX TELEOKAPII—PItESS ASSOCIATION—COI'IEIGHT.) (Rec. January 3, 4.30 p.m.) New YOfK, January 2. Dr. Edward Charles Pickoring, Professor of Astronomy and Director of Harvard Cpllego, has obtained, photographic evidence of tho osietenco of a new major planet beyond Neptune. Tho now planet is at present hi tho Constellation Gemini. A NINTH MAJOR PLANET. HOW NEPTUNE WAS DISCOVBKEI) IN 1816. The discovery of a ninth major planet—the eighth, Neptune, was discovered in 1816 —is a great event in astronomy and to the world at large. By planet is ordinarily meant a primary planet of the solar system or body revolving round the sun in .a nearly circular orbit, Ot these eight are major planets, being, iu their order from the sun, Meroury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. There are hosiaes about 400 minor planets known, The periodio comets . , are not regarded as planets. : ■ ' , • , The discovery of a-nevp major planet'beyond -Neptune is. not altogether unexpected. For some time its existence has been suspected, but there was no certain evidence.- A single photograph of suoh a body would not be proof that it is not a fixed star; but photographs of it in different positions, proving its movement, would no doubt bo regarded as complete evidence The anoients believed that there were. only seven planets. The discovery of Neptuiio was one of tho great events of last qentury, In the case of Noptune, also, its existence was sus? pqcted beforehand. . . . ; Neptune was first observed on September 23, by Dr.Galle, at Berlin, in , consequence of a letter from M, Ie Verrier, who h(id conjectured from the anomalous movements of Uranus that a distant planet might esist nearly in the position where. Neptune was situated, Calculations to the same effeot had been previously made by Mr. J. Couch Adams, of .Cambridge; but unfortunate delays occurred in their publication, and also of Professor Challis'a consequent discovery of the planet.' The Royal Society. of London awarded its gold medal, to both-astronomers as equals in the theoretical discovery, A satellite of.Neptune was disoovered oy Mr. lassell on October 10 following, Neptune js said to have been seen by Laltvode, and thought to bo a'fixed star. The diameter of Neptune is 37,00 ft miles. Its distance from the sun is 2,800,000 miles. Its period of, revolution round the eun is about 161, years. Professor Edward Charles Pickering, bornat Boston on July 19, 1816, has recoived the aca-demic-honours of many universities of- tho United States,: Britain, and Europe. He baa been Professor of Astronomy and Direotor of the Harvard .College Observatory since 1876. He.established the,first physical laboratory in tho .TJnit-ed. States, TJnder/ Ins direction tho invested capital and income of the observatory have increased fourfold. The study of .light and spectra, of the stars have been speoiaj features of his work. By "establishing; an auxiliary station in Arequipa,' Peru, southern. Stars were also brought within observation, the work thus extending from pole to pole, and including 200,000 photographs;. Professor Piokcfing ecoompanied the, "Nautical Almanac" expedition to,-observe the total , eclipse of. the, sun on August, 7, .1869. ■ Ho has honours from many countries, and his publications-are well knqwn,