Dark Matter, Missing Planets and New Comets Paradoxes Resolved, Origins Illuminated

by FLANDERN, TOM VAN

• ISBN13: 9781556432682
• ISBN10: 1556432682
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-01-08
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Summary

Tom Van Flandern's book adds a new dimension to cosmology--not only does it present a novel approach to timeless issues, it stands up to the closest scientific scrutiny. Even the most respected scientists today will readily admit that the Big Bang Theory is full of holes. But it takes a new look, likeDark Matter, Missing Planets, and New Comets, to explain not only why the theory is wrong but what to substitute in its place. If you are curious about such things as the nature of matter and the origin of the solar system, but feel inadequately equipped to grasp what modern science has to say about such things, read this book. You will not get the all too common condescending attempt to water down the 'mysteries' of modern science into a form intelligible to little non scientist you, but rather a straightforward new theory, logically derived in front of your eyes, which challenges the roots of many of today's complex accepted paradigms, yet whose essence is simple enough to be thoroughly communicated to the intelligent layman without "losing it in the translation."

Author Biography

Tom Van Flandern (1940-2009) was an Ohio-born astronomer and physicist. He attended Xavier University and Yale University before beginning his career at the US Naval Observatory. Van Flandern’s research focused on aspects outside of the mainstream, as later published in Dark Matter, Missing Planets and New Comets: Paradoxes Resolved, Origins Illuminated.

Table of Contents

Preface	xv
Introduction	xxvii
Prologue	xxxv
On the Nature of Space, Time, and Matter	1	(26)
Questions and Definitions	2	(1)
The One-Particle Universe	3	(2)
The Two-Particle Universe	5	(2)
Zeno's Paradox	7	(5)
Zeno-like Paradox for Matter	12	(2)
Meaning of Space, Time, and Matter	14	(6)
The Many-Particle Universe	20	(3)
Implications	23	(4)
On Gravity	27	(32)
The Properties of Gravitation	28	(2)
Action at a Distance	30	(2)
The Agents of Gravity	32	(4)
Objections to Agents of Gravity	36	(2)
Matter Ingredients and the Light-Carrying Medium	38	(3)
The Behavior of Media in General	41	(2)
The ``Instantaneous'' Action of Gravity	43	(10)
New Properties of Gravitation	53	(6)
On Relativity	59	(20)
The Nature of Waves	60	(2)
The Three Tests of General Relativity	62	(5)
Special Relativity and the Twin Paradox	67	(5)
The Sound Analogy	72	(3)
Meta Clocks and Meta Time	75	(4)
Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe	79	(38)
The Limited Range of Gravity	80	(6)
The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe	86	(5)
Comparison with the Big Bang Theory	91	(9)
The Cosmic Microwave Radiation	100	(4)
The Effect of Gravitational Lenses on a Background	104	(4)
Quasars	108	(7)
Conclusions	115	(2)
On the Composition of Substance	117	(16)
Generalizations about Quantum Mechanics	118	(2)
Particle-Wave Duality	120	(1)
The Meta Model in the Quantum World	121	(3)
The Bell Inequality	124	(4)
The Forces of Nature	128	(5)
Orbits	133	(22)
The Importance of Motion	134	(3)
Spheres of Influence	137	(4)
General Capture and Escape	141	(3)
Changing the Sphere of Influence	144	(1)
Gravitational Screen Capture	145	(2)
Accretion Capture	147	(1)
Tides	148	(7)
Do Planets Explode?	155	(12)
Three Million Years of Solar System History	155	(3)
Consequences of a Planetary Explosion	158	(5)
The Cause and Timing of the Explosion	163	(4)
The Discovery of Minor Satellites	167	(12)
The Discovery of Minor Satellites	167	(4)
Theoretical Considerations	171	(3)
Discovery Credits	174	(2)
First Asteroid Images: Satellite Analysis	176	(3)
Where Do Comets Come From?	179	(14)
A Scale Model of the Oort Cloud	179	(3)
Theories of Cometary Origins	182	(3)
The Planetary Breakup as the Origin of Comets	185	(5)
Summary and Predictions	190	(3)
Do Comets Have Satellites?	193	(22)
Previous and Current Comet Models	193	(2)
Similarities Between Minor Planets and Comets	195	(1)
The Satellite Model for Comets	196	(1)
The Sphere-of-Influence Concept	197	(3)
Comet Coma Problems	200	(1)
Comet Brightness Anomalies	200	(1)
The Mysteries of Split Comets	201	(4)
The Split Distance-Velocity Relationship	205	(1)
Physical Properties of Comets	205	(3)
The Meteor Hazard	208	(3)
Conclusions	211	(4)
A Synthesis of Recent Planetary Breakup Evidence	215	(22)
Sunspots and Eclipses	237	(14)
Sunspots	237	(4)
Lunar Eclipses	241	(3)
Solar Eclipses	244	(7)
Mercury and Venus	251	(10)
Similarities Between Mercury-Venus and Earth-Moon	252	(2)
Formation and Evolution as a Moon	254	(3)
Post-Escape Evolution	257	(4)
The Origin of the Moon	261	(10)
Four Theories of Lunar Origin	261	(3)
Lunar Origin from Mars-Sized Impactor Planet	264	(1)
The Theory of Lunar Origin by Fission	265	(6)
Mars and Saturn	271	(20)
The Origin of the Martian Moons	271	(6)
The Origin of Mars	277	(2)
The Origin of Saturn's Rings	279	(2)
Iapetus and the Black Axiom	281	(5)
The Black Axiom in the Outer Solar System	286	(5)
Jupiter and Uranus	291	(10)
The Capture of Jupiter's Asteroidal Moons	291	(2)
The Nature of Jupiter's Great Red Spot	293	(5)
Uranus	298	(3)
Neptune and Pluto	301	(14)
Could Triton Have Been Captured by Neptune?	302	(3)
Competing Theories for the Origin of Pluto	305	(2)
The Disrupted Satellites of Neptune	307	(3)
Implications for Neptune, Pluto, and Planet X	310	(5)
Planet X	315	(12)
History of the Planet X Search	316	(2)
The Discovery of Charon	318	(3)
New Predictions of Planet X	321	(6)
The Origins of the Solar System and of Man	327	(20)
How Stars and Planets Get Started	328	(1)
How a Solar System Gets Started	329	(3)
A View of the Original Solar System	332	(5)
The Idea of Extraterrestrial Intervention	337	(3)
A Speculation about the Origins of Man	340	(2)
Pyramids on Mars?	342	(5)
The Scientific Method	347	(22)
Introduction	348	(1)
About Truth and Reality	348	(2)
Forming Hypotheses	350	(1)
Occam's Razor	351	(3)
Extraordinary Hypotheses	354	(2)
The Unscientific Method	356	(6)
Forward Thinking	362	(7)
Peer Pressure and Paradigms	369	(18)
A Note about Scientific Peer Pressure	369	(3)
Paradigm Change	372	(2)
The Value of Extraordinary Hypotheses	374	(2)
Catastrophe Theory	376	(2)
Scientific Arrogance	378	(2)
The Intrinsic Value of Deductive Theories	380	(7)
Did the Universe Have a Beginning?	387	(16)
Introduction	387	(3)
What Does Expansion Mean?	390	(1)
Does the Universe Really Expand?	391	(6)
Conclusions	397	(1)
What Else Can Cause Redshift?	398	(5)
A Revision of the Exploded Planet Hypothesis	403	(14)
The Problem	404	(2)
A Revision of the Hypothesis	406	(3)
Details of the Revised Hypothesis	409	(8)
New Evidence for Artificiality at Cydonia on Mars	417	(26)
Description of Cydonia	390	(30)
Summary of the Exploded Planet Hypothesis (eph)	420	(5)
Connection of the Exploded Planet Hypothesis to Mars	425	(8)
Connection of the Exploded Planet Hypothesis and Pole Shift to Cydonia	433	(7)
Conclusions	440	(1)
Acknowledgments	441	(2)
A Revision of the Original Solar System	443	(14)
Introduction	444	(1)
The Fission Theory for the Origin of Planets and Moons	445	(2)
Satellite Formation	447	(1)
Application to Planet Formation	448	(6)
Application to Satellite Formation	454	(1)
Conclusion	455	(2)
Epilogue	457	(2)
Postscript	459	(10)
Glossary	469	(18)
Bibliography	487	(16)
Name Index	503	(4)
Subject Index	507