[38] Outlines of Astronomy, Herschel.
Art. 92. Cause of Rotation of the Earth on its Axis.--If there is one fact true in relation to the earth as a planet, it is that the earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours. Day in and day out, for centuries past, this revolution has taken place as the earth journeys in its annual path round the sun.
Not only does the earth rotate on its axis, but every other planet rotates on its axis in varying times, as the following table shows--
| hrs. | min. | sec. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 24 | 5 | 0 | |
| Venus | 23 | 24 | 0 | |
| The Earth | 23 | 56 | 4 | |
| Mars | 24 | 37 | 23 | |
| Jupiter | 9 | 55 | 0 | |
| Sarturn | 10 | 14 | 23 | |
| Uranus | ? | |||
| Neptune | ? |
Further, the sun also rotates on its axis in a period of 26 days. Here, then, are certain phenomena in connection with the solar system, for which up to the present no explanation as to the physical cause of rotation has ever been offered. Surely there is some physical cause, to account for such a rotation, and if there be a physical cause, then the problem to be solved is--find the physical cause to account for the continuous and ever-recurring rotation of all the planets and the sun on their axes, which shall be so effective and continual that, year in and year out, the rotation of all the planets may be continued as observed. In solving this problem we have to revert to our reason why the earth is a magnet. In [Art. 91] we learned that the earth and all the other planets, and indeed all stellar bodies, were electro-magnets, because the electro-magnetic Aether was constantly circulating round them.
If, by accepting this explanation, we can at the same time solve the problem of the rotation of the planets, and the sun, on their axes, then we shall have further evidence that our hypothesis is the correct one. Now let me ask, What is the effect of an electric current continually circulating round any magnet in the same way that the electro-magnetic Aether continually circulates round the earth, which is a magnet?
To find out what the effect is, we must resort to experiment. Professor Lodge, in his Modern Views of Electricity, shows us the effect of any circulating current of electricity revolving round a magnet. In his chapter on Electro-Magnetism he writes as follows: “How does a current act on a magnetic pole? Two currents attract or repel each other, two poles attract or repel each other, but a current and a pole exert a mutual force which is neither attraction nor repulsion. It is a rotatory force. They tend neither to approach nor to recede, they tend to revolve round each other.“ “A singular action this and at first sight unique“ (p. 135). “The two things will revolve round each other for ever. This affords and has afforded a fine field for the perpetual motionist, and if only the current would maintain itself without a sustaining power, perpetual motion in fact would be attained.“
Faraday has shown by experiment the action of a current on the magnet, and vice versâ. Faraday, in his description of an electro-magnetic apparatus for the exhibition of rotatory motion, shows how the rotation of a current round a magnet, and a magnet round a current, may be experimentally proved. With the apparatus used he shows that the current of electricity may be made to revolve round the pole of the magnet in the direction dependent on the pole used, and further, illustrates how the magnet may be made to revolve round the current. (Plate 4, Fig. 5, Exp. Res.)
Thus we learn that wherever we have a current constantly circulating round a magnet, there we have the conditions by which, according to Professor Lodge, perpetual motion may be obtained, that is to say, the two will revolve round each other as long as the current is maintained. Here then we find in space those very conditions by which perpetual motion may be obtained.
We find the electro-magnetic Aether constantly circulating round the planetary magnets, with the result that not only will the current continue to revolve around the planet, but the planet will continue to revolve upon its axis as it revolves round the current. In fact we get in space an example of perpetual motion. We know that the rotation of the earth on its axis has been in existence for several thousand years, and therefore we have a right to assume that it revolved on its axis through the untold ages of past geological times as revealed by the strata, and rocks of pre-historic ages. Thus the motion must have continued, so far as the earth is concerned, at least 100,000,000 years, accepting that period as the age of the earth, but no physical reason so far as I know has ever been assigned for such continued rotation.