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This 7 page paper discusses the search for the planet Vulcan, which at one time was thought to orbit between Mercury and the Sun. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
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7 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_HVPlVlcn.rtf
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in an orbit even closer to the Sun than that of Mercury. This paper discusses some of the ideas and concepts surrounding the search for this elusive tenth planet.
Discussion Astronomers often find objects in the sky by indirect observation rather than direct observation. That is, although they cannot see whats causing it, they notice unusual motion in a
star or planet that should not be happening. The explanation is that theres a second object somewhere close enough to exert a pull on the first one, and cause it
to deviate from its projected motion; this is the way many black holes are found. William Sheehan and Richard Baum wrote a book in 1997 that explores a mystery that
lasted for decades: specifically the hunt for the planet Vulcan that was supposed to orbit between the Sun and Mercury. Its fascinating to read about the way in which the
entire astronomical community got caught up in what is essentially a fantasy. Today, every student knows that the nine planets (well, eight now that poor Pluto has been downgraded to
less than planetary status) orbit the Sun at various distances, but it took centuries of study and thought to construct the theories of planetary motion (Baum and Sheehan, 1997). Sometimes,
science experienced great triumphs; at other times, it was ludicrously wrong, as in the hunt for the planet that doesnt exist (Baum and Sheehan, 1997). Perhaps the most amazing
thing about this astronomical snipe hunt is that reputable astronomers, or at a talented amateur astronomer named Edmond Lescarbault claimed to have actually seen the planet, thus causing great excitement,
even though no one else could confirm it (Baum and Sheehan, 1997). Despite a lack of confirmation, the claim was apparently so attractive to a mathematician named Urbain Jean Joseph
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