The Study of Astronomy, adapted to the capacities of youth / In twelve familiar dialogues, between a tutor and his pupil: explaining the general phænomena of the heavenly bodies, the theory of the tides, &c.

by teacher of astronomy John Stedman

“What other planets circle other suns.”

Pupil. I am almost lost.—I used to think they were designed to give us light.

Tutor. This is a vulgar error.—They were doubtless created for a much nobler purpose, since thousands of them are invisible to us without the help of a telescope; and we receive more light from the moon than from all the stars together.

Pupil. How do you know they are suns? Is their being luminous a proof of their being so?

Tutor. No. But we know that the sun shines with his own light on all the planets belonging to our system; and from what I have told you, have the greatest reason to believe that the stars shine with their own light: we therefore from analogy conclude, that they are so many suns conveying light and heat to other worlds[^[11]].

Pupil. Are there then other worlds besides this we live in?

Tutor. Consider.—Has not the earth we inhabit a moon to enlighten it?

Pupil. Yes, Sir.

Tutor. And have I not told you that Jupiter, Saturn, and Georgian, have also moons?

Pupil. This I well remember.