Astronomy Quote by Jonathan Swift
“They have likewise discovered two lesser stars, or satellites, which revolve around Mars, whereof the innermost is distant from the center of the primary exactly three of his diameters, and the outermost five: the former revolves in the space of ten hours, and the latter in twenty-one and a half, so that the squares of their periodical times are very near in the same proportion with the cubes of their distances from the center of Mars; which evidently shews them to be governed by the same Law of Gravitation that influences the other heavenly bodies.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: History of Astronomy, 1735
Observations of Mars’s moons support universal gravitation, showing consistent orbital patterns across bodies
In simple terms: Mars’s moons follow the same gravity law as other planets
Key Takeaway
Recognize universal laws in nature
Themes
science
gravity
astronomy
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
historical
scientific
When to use this quote
- space exploration
- education
- planetary research
- STEM teaching
Key Concepts
celestial mechanics
Kepler’s laws
Newtonian physics
Questions to Reflect On
- How did these findings influence later scientific theory?
- What modern tools could refine these measurements?
A Different Perspective
Limited data accuracy of early observations
