________________
JAIN PIILOSOPHY & MODERN SCIENCE
?
satisfactory, e.g. the Pole Star is seen in the north and it always keeps at the north. According to Indian astrology, the Pole Star is at rest and the earth is also at rest and, therefore it that it always keeps at North It is quite obvious that by assuming the earth to be in motion, the pole star could not be seen at the same place always When merely by the motion of the earth, the sun, which is static is always seen to be moving from east to west how the Pole Star, standing in the North could be steady Modern believers in the earth's rotation explain this by saying that the Pole Star is in the same line as the axis of rotation of the earth Therefore, it remains in the same position for us and remains uneffected by the easterly and westerly motion of the earth But this answer is not complete, as the earth is rotating around its axis at a rate of nearly 1000 mph In 12 hours one part on its surface will be exactly opposite to its position 12 hours before. That means that diametrically it will be displaced by 8000 miles approximately. Then, if we see the Pole Star from the displaced position which is 8000 miles away from its original position, in this age of hairsplitting instruments, it seems impossible that the Pole Star will remain at the same place Secondly the earth not only rotates about its axis, but also completes an Yearly revolution about the sun moving at a speed of 66,000 m.ph. In such a circumstance, where he diameter of the sun is 866,000 miles and the circaference of the sun is 2,600,000 miles, and the earth
176
1
15,
