50 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 
the light shined in our eyes so many minutes longer. [See 
laptern.| Place the Sun in the centre, Jupiter out on the 
outer orbit, the Earth where the third Satellite is. | When the 
theory of the Solar or Planetary system was sprung on the 
world it-was a great shock. Galileo was subjected to harsh 
treatment, though not so bad as some historians claim. 
For a moment it seemed impossible to reconcile it, to even 
the religious belief that Joshua stopped the Sun. How cotld 
he, if we were to believe that the Earth and not the Sun moves. 
The satellites of Jupiter gave Galileo great arguments in 
favor of the planetary system. Some philosophers, incredu- 
lous to the end, said that if Galileo saw Jupiter’s satellites he 
must have satellites in his telescope or on the brain. 
Another philosopher refused to look through the telescope, 
lest seeing he believed. Galileo wished him luck, and hoped 
ke might get a glimpse at them on his wav to heaven. 
Is Jupiter inhabitec? In writing on this subject James 
Wils has tuned his lyre to a pathetic strain and asks, Can we 
not hope that. it is inhabited? 
That silvery planet surpassing our Earth a thousand times 
in magnitude. Its green fields and its thronging commerce 
may be too remote to allow. inspection, its kingdoms beyond he 
conqueror’s reach, and_so far distant that they appear but a 
mere brilliant speck. 
Why those five moons to keep watch by night? Is there 
no inhabitant to enjoy its sunshine? No one to salute its fre- 
quent day breaks and watch its sunsets? From what has been 
said of this planet I fear there are none. Jupiter’s unfinished 
state of formation and its fluid liquid convulsive hot state, 
seems unfit even for vegetation life . 
But may we hope that after the lapse of billions of years 
it will have its green fields, its mild atmosphere and its intelli- 
gent and reasonable inhabitants. 
If so, they will have long years and short days. This ap- 
pears like an Irish bull, but it is true, however. A child of ten 
years of age on Jupiter would be a centenarian of more than 
120 years on our Earth. The year on Jupiter is more than 12 
times as long as the year of our planet. 
