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Swift Wasn't That Swift

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Swift Wasn’t That Swift

To the Editor,

I suspect that the item on Jonathan Swift and the Moons of Mars (Bee May 5th) was included just to see how credulous we all are. After all just on the basis of probability the idea that Swift correctly predicted the “exact size and speeds of rotation” of the satellites of Mars 100 years before they were discovered can be rejected out of hand. But there are some who believe that the earth is visited every few months by spacecraft from other star systems just so that the occupants can play in the hay. So before it becomes received wisdom that Swift was enlightened by aliens it should be pointed out that:

1. Swift did not specify the sizes of the moons.

2. His estimates of their orbital periods was not even close.

3. His statement that Mars had two moons was almost certainly based on a speculation by Kepler made on the basis of a faulty premise and bad data.

Brian Gibney

10 Checkerberry Lane, Sandy Hook                               May 9, 2000

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