Monday, September 25, 2006
This Day in Science History
On this day in 1877, French astronomer Urbain-Jean-Joseph La Verrier dies at age 66. He predicted the position of a previously unknown planet by the disturbance it caused in the orbit of Uranus. In 1856, the German astronomer Johan G. Galle discovered Neptune after only an hour of searching, within one degree of the position that had been computed by Le Verrier, who had asked him to look for it there. The Germans always had better optics than the French. In this way Le Verrier gave the most striking confirmation of the theory of gravitation propounded by Newton. Le Verrier also initiated the meteorological service for France, especially the weather warnings for seaports.
(h/t Today in Science History)
(h/t Today in Science History)
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 7:18 AM 
Comments:
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IIRC, Clyde Tombaugh found Pluto the same way. But Pluto isn't massive enough to explain the discrepancies in Neptune's orbit, so the result was pretty much a complete accident.
Doug, I'm beginning to think there is no subject on which you don't know more than I do. Of couse you are referring to the Dwarf Planet Pluto.
Sorry, I use a different style guide. My style guide doesn't require the use of "dwarf planet", as the IAU's style guide does.
Speaking of which, how does the IAU know that Pluto is a dwarf rather than a midget*? Besides, wouldn't "toy planet" be more cheery?
"Doug, I'm beginning to think there is no subject on which you don't know more than I do."
Oh, heck no. I just try to keep my "mouth" shut when I don't have something to contribute. (See, for example, most of your music posts.) Sometimes I succeed; somewhat less often other people agree that I succeed.
8-)
* "Midget" now seems to be deprecated in favor of "proportionate dwarfism", which has the benefit of lots more syllables.
Speaking of which, how does the IAU know that Pluto is a dwarf rather than a midget*? Besides, wouldn't "toy planet" be more cheery?
"Doug, I'm beginning to think there is no subject on which you don't know more than I do."
Oh, heck no. I just try to keep my "mouth" shut when I don't have something to contribute. (See, for example, most of your music posts.) Sometimes I succeed; somewhat less often other people agree that I succeed.
8-)
* "Midget" now seems to be deprecated in favor of "proportionate dwarfism", which has the benefit of lots more syllables.
I think we need to begin ad planetem attacks on Pluto now that it has been demoted. How about "trite planet?"
# posted by 
: 9:03 AM
: 9:03 AM
"How about 'trite planet?'"
Since Pluto was at one point going to be called a "pluton", wouldn't a trite planet be a Triton?
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Since Pluto was at one point going to be called a "pluton", wouldn't a trite planet be a Triton?
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