Popular Astronomy, And, the Orbs of Heaven - Softcover

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. 1860. Excerpt: ... shall have occasion to make frequent applications in our future examinations. POWER OF GRAVITATION ON THE SOLAR SURFACE.--If it were possible to transport a body weighing at the earth's eqiiator one pound to the equator of the sun, as the weight of the body is due to the power of the earth's attraction, and as the sun is heavier than the earth in the high ratio of 354,936 to 1, we might suppose that the pound weight on the earth removed to the sun would be increased in the same ratio. This would be true in case the sun's diameter were precisely equal to that of the earth. This, however, is not the case. The radius of the sun is 111.454 times that of the earth, and this distance will reduce the attractive power of the sun in the ratio of (111.545)' to (I)3, or as 12,342.27 to 1. If, therefore. we reduce 354,936 in the above ratio, or, in other language, divide it by 12,342.27, we obtain for a quotient 28, showing that a body weighing one pound at the earth's equator would weigh 28 pounds at the sun's surface. This would be slightly reduced from the uplifting action of the centrifugal force due to the velocity of rotation of the sun on its axis. This diminution may be readily computed. We shall see hereafter that the centrifugal force at the earth's equator is equal to 5i¥ of the force of gravity. Now, if the sun rotated in the same time as the earth, and their diameters were equal, the centrifugal force on the equators of the two orbs would be equal. But,the sun's radius is about 111 times that of the earth, and if the period or rotation were the same the centrifugal force at the sun's equator would be greater than that at the earth's, in the ratio of (HI)' to 1, or more exactly in the ratio of 12,342.27 to 1. But the sun rotates on its axis much slow...