PLANETS. 7 



you may thing it small, it is reality larger than thig 

 earth, which is divided into so many extensive king- 

 doms and empires. How grand an idea must thig 

 excite of the greatness of Him who created the whole 

 universe ! 



Of the seven planets which compose the solar sys- 

 tem, Mercury is the nearest to the sun ; its mean 

 distance from which is about thirty-six millions, eight 

 hundred and forty-one thousand, four hundred and 

 sixty miles. Its diameter is three thousand two hun- 

 dred miles, and it revolves round the sun in eighty- 

 seven days and twenty-three hours. 



Venus is sixty-eight millions eight hundred and 

 ninety-one thousand four hundred and eighty miles 

 distant from the sun, revolves round him in two hun- 

 dred and twenty-fohr days seventeen hours ; and 

 upon its own axis in twenty-three hours and twenty- 

 two minutes. The diameter of Venus is seven thou- 

 sand seven hundred and forty-three miles. 



This earth on which we live is ninety-five millions 

 one hundred and seventy-three thousand miles from, 

 the sun. It revolves upon its axis in twenty-four 

 hours, which is our day, and completes its revolution 

 round the sun in three hundred and sixty-five days, 

 six hours, forty-nine minutes and fifteen seconds, a 

 space of time which constitutes our year ; the dia- 

 meter of the earth is seven thousand nine hundred and 

 forty-two miles. 



Mars is one hundred and forty-five millions four- 

 teen thousand one hundred and forty-eight miles dis- 

 tant from the sun, makes His revolution round him in 

 one year three hundred and twenty-one days and 

 twenty -three hours, and revolves upon his own axis 

 in one. day and forty minutes. The diameter of 

 Mars is four thousand two hundred and twenty miles. 

 Jupiter is distant from the sun four hundred and 

 ninety-four millions nine hundred and ninety thou- 

 sand, nine hundred and seventy miles, makes his pe- 

 riodical revolutions round the sun in eleven yeara 

 three hundred and fifteen days and fourteen hours : 

 and revolves upon his axis in nine hours and fifty-sit 

 M 4 



