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ChINGE IN RELATIVE GRAVITY ON EARTH*
Mercury
We set out for Mercury (it is clearly visible only in hot countries, we see it rarely), the planet nearest to sun, nearer to it
2 1/2 times than Earth and illuminated by it
7 times stronger.
When I moved away from lunar surface one or two hundred-versts and glanced downwards, I saw instead of it
a golden cup, occupying exactly one half of sky; it
speckled with circles and notched.
was
The other half of sky was black, strewn with
stars and adorned by regal sun. Moing in part of sky, to point -
one aifcction, I saw how cup, the moon,
changing into dish, plate, saucer, little
star.
occupied c~nstantly smaller
ordinary f'.at moon and, at last,
i-
(Picture is very similar to that on moving away from
Earth). Thus I did not lose moon from sight throughout the entire trip, together with Earth which appeared as star 13 times brighter; at the largest distance, near Mercury itself, the moon shone weaker than Venus.
Constellations and Milky Way did not change
their appearance and location not only on the way to Mercury, entire planet system through Neptune inclusive, which is
- Extraction from manuscript.
-
Ed.
-56i-
but throughout the
understandable,
since entire
