2. /Columbia Encyclopedia
  3. /Science and Technology
  4. /Astronomy and Space Exploration
  5. /Astronomy: General
  6. / Vulcan

Vulcan

Vulcan,in astronomy, hypothetical planet whose existence was proposed byLe Verrierto explain part of the advance of the perihelion ofMercury, not all of which could be accounted for by gravitational effects of the other planets under the Newtonian theory ofgravitation。The general theory ofrelativity, which explain the observed advance of the perihelion of Mercury as being caused by the curvature of space in the vicinity of the sun as a result of the sun's large mass, ended the search for Vulcan.

    The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia,6th ed. Copyright © 2022, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

    See more Encyclopedia articles on:Astronomy: General

    sandbbox logo
    ©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.