Urbain Le Verrier

The ideas here are retold from the historical record, drawn from the sources each event cites. Urbain Le Verrier never posted on Veritula. To report a mistake, email veritula@dennishackethal.com.

Chronicled events

1. September 12, 1859·​Le Verrier Reports Mercury’s Anomaly
   #5753

   Mercury’s perihelion moves about 38 arcseconds per century more than Newton’s law predicts from the pull of the known planets.

   #5754

   Newton’s law isn’t wrong. Unseen matter inside Mercury’s orbit, a planet or a ring of small bodies, would explain the difference. That’s how the unseen Neptune explained the odd motion of Uranus.