Gulliver Traveled to Mars?

by Tony on April 30th, 2008

Gulliver must’ve traveled to Mars.

How else do you explain the fact that Jonathon Swift, writer of Gulliver’s Travels, predicted the two moons of Mars and their approximate positions over a hundred years before their discovery?

Explain that.

I think Gulliver must’ve made a pit-stop to Mars somewhere down the line.

Here is a small excerpt from the book:

They [the Laputians] have likewise discovered two lesser stars, or satellites, which revolve about Mars, whereof the innermost is distant from the center of the primary planet exactly three of its diameters, and the outermost five; the former revolves in the space of ten hours, and the latter in twenty-one and a half; so that the squares of their periodical times are very near the same proportion with the cubes of their distance from the center of Mars, which evidently shows them to be governed by the same law of gravitation that influences the other heavenly bodies. - Gulliver’s Travels - Jonathan Swift - 1726

Sidenote: the two moons of Mars (named after the Greek god of war) are Phobos, meaning “fear”, and Deimos, meaning “panic”. Mars, you are such a gentle planet. Mars was also known as “Ares” to the Greeks. Deimos and Phobos were his two sons who accompanied him to war. Mars was such a family man.

In 1877 the moons were discovered by Asaph Hall, over a hundred years after Gulliver’s Travels was published.

Jonathon Swift, you are brilliantly wonderful, wonderfully brilliant, brilliantly talented–yet, at the same time, undeniably spooky.

How do you know so much, Mr. Swift? How you so sm’aht?

He described Phobos’ orbital period to be 10 hours (real figure=7.6) and Deimos’ as 21.5 hrs. (real figure= 30.2).

Spooky, Mr. Swift. Spooky.