August Tischner

“ As only a very small portion of the heavenly space and its contents is visible to our eyes, astronomy—whatever may be the magnifying power placed at its disposal—must be confined within the limits of our vision and can therefore be no more than a small fragment. ”

“ If therefore the science of astronomy be more especially an observative science, that which it does not and cannot observe, must be for it as good as not existent. But astronomy may, in addition, be designated the science of observation of the apparent things, things as they seem to be, for it is unable to see or regard the heavenly phenomena otherwise than they present themselves to it. Astronomy is not permitted to observe realities. ”

“ Theory must take notice of the phenomena of the sun's own movement and dare not cloak it under imaginary causes; for so long as the motion of the sun is ignored, it is impossible to know thoroughly the motion of the earth which follows it, and if the motion of the earth be not known, it is also impossible to know the motion of the other heavenly bodies, belonging to the solar system, as seen from the earth. In a word, the astronomical theory, as it is now generally accepted and believed to be the only and doubtless true, is wholly untenable, requiring a total and essential reformation ”

“ Il arrive fréquemment que la croyance universelle d'un siècle, croyance dont il n'était donné à personne de s'affranchir à moins d'un effort extraordinaire de génie et de courage, devient pour un autre siècle une absurdité si palpable qu'on n'a plus qu'à s'étonner qu'elle ait pu jamais prévaloir. ”

“ The fundamental axiom of astronomical theory, such as the Copernician system, Kepler's and Newton's laws, are not derived from a knowledge of fact, they are the opinions, views, ideas and suppositions of individuals, which have been adapted to the heaven, and as they were generally accepted, the question was never raised whether the opinions of an organic creature—however intelligent it might be—are really and truly that which we term penetrating behind the veil of nature and compelling it to yield up its secrets. ”

“ When we say that astronomy is an earthly science, we mean to imply that the heaven and the phenomena there apparent cannot be studied otherwise than as seen from the earth. Therefore astronomy is not a heavenly science, it consists solely of such ideas as we are able to form, that which we see on the heaven. ”

“ It is a very remarkable fact, that the astronomers of the by-gone century could, and those of the present century can believe, such as Copernicus, Kepler and Newton, had they been aware of the motion of the sun, would have set up the same system, the same laws and theories, as they based exclusively on the theory of its being immoveable. ”

“ Such men as Lick, Bischoffsheim, Remeis etc., who are willing to make sufficient sacrifices in order to establish this glorious science upon more solid foundations, which do not rest on an imaginary and untenable theory, but on actual observation, will surely be found. Success cannot be doubtful. Would not the Americans, who appreciate every thing on a grand scale and are not afraid of any expense in their undertakings, do all in their power to further and promote this splendid work? ”

“ A science which cannot make any use of this immense discovery, nor deduce any application from it, does not possess any vital power; it is a dead science, it is strangled by those whose duty is to keep it alive, to lead it onwards to perfection. ”

“ It is not astronomy that is grand, compared with the vast objects with which it deals it dwindles to insignificance, and we may say that to speak of it as being a science of the "heavenly mechanism," nay more of the [Pg 21] "laws of the universe," is sheer nonsense. The universe must be for us a mere term, which does not convey any tangible idea to our minds. ”

“ If astronomers had merely presented their ideas and opinions to the world as such, and no more, no one could raise any objection; but they lay down their opinions in words and on paper as a positive science, they give their view as incontroversible truths, and this fact [Pg 19] alters the situation, for we cannot admit that science is a mere barge to be taken in tow by the imagination. ”

“ The great mass of astronomical observations are almost exclusively of European origin, those which in later times have been made in other parts of the earth, are of a special character—they refer for the most part to the stars and are not numerous enough to furnish any general view, but here the question is of establishing a universal astronomy available for the whole earth, which, founded on the actual type of the phenomena, will become the result of science. ”

“ In the positive sense of the word, astronomy is more especially a science of observation, which is its only, but real and successful power. It may be said that astronomy has raised observation to a science, and its immense importance becomes more and more prominent as the explicative science loses in value ”

“ The idea that the motion of the sun does not necessitate any alteration in the system of Copernicus leads us to the utmost absurdity. If the earth is to move in the invariable [Pg 28] plain of its recurrent and closed ellipse, it stands to reason, it cannot follow the sun, and the "circulation around the centre" at once falls to the ground. ”

“ Astronomical science, at the present day insists upon the system of Copernicus, which, as is well known, is based upon the theory of a fixed sun, and remains convinced of the incontrovertible truth and importance of this system, even after it has become an incontestable fact, that the sun changes its position ”

“ We see the heaven as we fly along, the earth whirls us with itself through space, hence astronomy cannot make any drawing room [Pg 22] experiment, it cannot reproduce any of the heavenly phenomena, it can do nothing but observe. ”

“ This idea of a fixed sun has taken such a firm hold of men's minds that there is no force in nature capable of exercising sufficient power to eradicate it, the sun may move as it pleases, and whilst the whither and rapidity of its motion are diligently studied, men's minds are occupied with its fixity, and these "investigations and inquiries" are prosecuted without any consequences being therefrom deduced. ”

“ The fact that the sun moves, cannot now be altered and cannot be any longer ignored; and if mathematicians and astronomers do notwithstanding assert, that the sun may with reference to its own planetary system be regarded as fixed, or in a condition of rest, in that the system moves as a whole without any change taking place in the relative position of the planets to each other, or in their relation to the sun ”

“ Directly a theory or a law is to be set up, the sun is at once very firmly fixed on—ether. Astronomical writers consider that they have done quite enough, when they have accorded honorable mention to the motion of the sun, but their deductions, conclusions, theories, proofs and laws are all based on the immobility of the sun, according the system of Copernicus. ”

“ The astronomers hug themselves, with great complacency, with the idea—which gradually becomes a delicious certainly—that they have mapped out the heaven very well, and that any change in the arrangement is a thing not to be thought of. ”

“ That not one of these things rests upon actual observation or even probable and perceptible facts, and finally, that none of them can be observed or verified, but that they are all three creations of the imagination, must be clearly evident to any one who occupies himself at all with the study of nature and more especially with the study of the heavenly phenomena. ”

“ The erection of small, simple and detached observations along the line of the earth's equator, at certain distances from each other, and the subdivision of the work amongst the various observers, according the objects, would be of incalculable consequence, and would in the course of a few years shed more light upon astronomical knowledge than all that has hitherto been done at hap-hazard and without any plan. ”