Post by Catsmate on Feb 2, 2016 11:42:24 GMT
The current speculation about a trans-Neptunian planet1 reminds me of a previous bout of speculation about a ninth planet about 150 years ago; Vulcan2.
During the nineteenth century the application of mathematical methods to astronomy led to the discovery of the planet Neptune in 1846; the French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier predicated it’s orbit based on Newtonian models and perturbations in the orbit of Uranus. A similar ‘glitch’ in the orbit of Mercury suggested to Le Verrier that a planet existed in a closer orbit than Mercury.
In late 1859 a French amateur astronomer named Lescarbault wrote to Le Verrier stating that he’d observed such an object. In the following years other observers claimed to have seen a planet, while others contradicted such claims. The matter rumbled on with text books and ephemera listed it as definitely existing or unconfirmed depending on the writer’s views.
Both quotes are from books published in the 1870s
Certainly a number of people, including professional astronomers and well regarded amateurs, claimed to have seen something orbiting close to the Sun.
Later work has determined there is no planet orbiting closer than Mercury, and little possibility of even a large planetoid. The discrepancy in the obit of Mercury is in fact down to an error in Newtonian mechanics and was successfully resolved by Einstein's work on General Relativity.
A group of asteroids, called Vulcanoids, may exist in close solar orbit though the failure to detect any (so far) means they are, at best, less than 10km in size.
It's probable that the observations of Vulcan were a mix of wishful thinking, equipment artefacts, sunspots and other celestial objects.
Game use.
1. The search for Vulcan could simply be a bit of background colour, dropped into a scenario or game set in the period 1845-95 with the players perhaps having to convince someone they want to talk to to drop his search for the planet. It could even be a element in a scenario set later; into the 1970s a tiny fringe of astronomers believed the planet still existed. A party member who displayed interest in science (especially astronomy) could be button-holed at an inconvenient moment and questioned about his views on the controversy.
2. All that effort looking for Vulcan might discover something entirely different; an alien space-craft, for example, or signs of activity on Mercury, an asteroid heading towards the Earth or other potential catastrophe. While mainstream science might ignore or ridicule such observations would the PCs when they hear of them?
3. Maybe there was something there to be seen. Given the differences in observations, either there were several Vulcans or it was maneuvering; either way it'd have to be quite large to be observed given the telescopes available in the mid-nineteenth century. A Rama-type spaceship perhaps, constructed as a space-ark by a society facing destruction. It could be entirely artificial, or a hollowed out asteroid.
Was the craft merely passing by? Perhaps (like Rama) using Sol's gravity in a slingshot maneuver, or harvesting solar plasma or other materials. Or was it maneuvering into a stable orbit preparatory for the control computers to wake teh slumbering colonists? If so, what planet were they interested in?
Links.
Vulcan: the Solar System’s Ghost Planet
A Weird West Tale and the Hunt for Planet Vulcan
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1 still called ‘Planet X’, though IX would be more appropriate given the demotion of Pluto
2 and not the planet of either the space-elves or mercury swamps. Or the one in the Museum of Things That Don't Exist.
During the nineteenth century the application of mathematical methods to astronomy led to the discovery of the planet Neptune in 1846; the French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier predicated it’s orbit based on Newtonian models and perturbations in the orbit of Uranus. A similar ‘glitch’ in the orbit of Mercury suggested to Le Verrier that a planet existed in a closer orbit than Mercury.
- Specifically perhelion progression, the small advance in the point of closest solar approach (perihelion) in the orbit.
In late 1859 a French amateur astronomer named Lescarbault wrote to Le Verrier stating that he’d observed such an object. In the following years other observers claimed to have seen a planet, while others contradicted such claims. The matter rumbled on with text books and ephemera listed it as definitely existing or unconfirmed depending on the writer’s views.
Our text-books on astronomy will have to be revised again, as there is no longer any doubt about the existence of a planet between Mercury and the sun.
A planet inferior to Mercury has been supposed to exist; and in 1859, a French astronomer was thought by some to have discovered it. Later observations have not, however, confirmed, but rather disproved, its existence. The name given to this supposed planet is Vulcan.
Certainly a number of people, including professional astronomers and well regarded amateurs, claimed to have seen something orbiting close to the Sun.
- These included; Professor James Watson, director of the Ann Arbor Observatory in Michigan ibserving from Wyoming; Lewis Swift, an amateur observing from Denver, Colorado; Aristide Coumbary, observing from Istanbul; F. A. R. Russell observing from London; Franz von Gruithuisen observing from Munich and more.
Later work has determined there is no planet orbiting closer than Mercury, and little possibility of even a large planetoid. The discrepancy in the obit of Mercury is in fact down to an error in Newtonian mechanics and was successfully resolved by Einstein's work on General Relativity.
A group of asteroids, called Vulcanoids, may exist in close solar orbit though the failure to detect any (so far) means they are, at best, less than 10km in size.
It's probable that the observations of Vulcan were a mix of wishful thinking, equipment artefacts, sunspots and other celestial objects.
Game use.
1. The search for Vulcan could simply be a bit of background colour, dropped into a scenario or game set in the period 1845-95 with the players perhaps having to convince someone they want to talk to to drop his search for the planet. It could even be a element in a scenario set later; into the 1970s a tiny fringe of astronomers believed the planet still existed. A party member who displayed interest in science (especially astronomy) could be button-holed at an inconvenient moment and questioned about his views on the controversy.
2. All that effort looking for Vulcan might discover something entirely different; an alien space-craft, for example, or signs of activity on Mercury, an asteroid heading towards the Earth or other potential catastrophe. While mainstream science might ignore or ridicule such observations would the PCs when they hear of them?
- This is, of course, an excellent opportunity for a hoax.
3. Maybe there was something there to be seen. Given the differences in observations, either there were several Vulcans or it was maneuvering; either way it'd have to be quite large to be observed given the telescopes available in the mid-nineteenth century. A Rama-type spaceship perhaps, constructed as a space-ark by a society facing destruction. It could be entirely artificial, or a hollowed out asteroid.
Was the craft merely passing by? Perhaps (like Rama) using Sol's gravity in a slingshot maneuver, or harvesting solar plasma or other materials. Or was it maneuvering into a stable orbit preparatory for the control computers to wake teh slumbering colonists? If so, what planet were they interested in?
Links.
Vulcan: the Solar System’s Ghost Planet
A Weird West Tale and the Hunt for Planet Vulcan
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1 still called ‘Planet X’, though IX would be more appropriate given the demotion of Pluto
2 and not the planet of either the space-elves or mercury swamps. Or the one in the Museum of Things That Don't Exist.