Alex McColgan

He questioned Lescarbol, heard his observations, and came to the conclusion that the man was telling the truth. So, the two of them announced to the scientific community Les Carbol's discovery. They named the planet Vulcan. The scientific community was once again very impressed. Lescarbol was given the Légion d'honneur, the highest order of merit in France.

He got to speak at meetings of learned scholars. There was only one problem. The planet he had discovered didn't actually exist. There were numerous proofs of this. For one, naturally, other scientists wanted to take a look at this new planet Vulcan.

He got to speak at meetings of learned scholars. There was only one problem. The planet he had discovered didn't actually exist. There were numerous proofs of this. For one, naturally, other scientists wanted to take a look at this new planet Vulcan.

He got to speak at meetings of learned scholars. There was only one problem. The planet he had discovered didn't actually exist. There were numerous proofs of this. For one, naturally, other scientists wanted to take a look at this new planet Vulcan.

Le Verrier calculated from Lescarbeau's observations that Vulcan must orbit 21 million kilometres out from the Sun and did so every 19 days and 17 hours, so it would be easy to spot, as it would be calculable when it would pass the Sun again next. Astronomers pointed their telescopes towards the Sun at the appointed time, but Vulcan was a no-show.

Le Verrier calculated from Lescarbeau's observations that Vulcan must orbit 21 million kilometres out from the Sun and did so every 19 days and 17 hours, so it would be easy to spot, as it would be calculable when it would pass the Sun again next. Astronomers pointed their telescopes towards the Sun at the appointed time, but Vulcan was a no-show.

Le Verrier calculated from Lescarbeau's observations that Vulcan must orbit 21 million kilometres out from the Sun and did so every 19 days and 17 hours, so it would be easy to spot, as it would be calculable when it would pass the Sun again next. Astronomers pointed their telescopes towards the Sun at the appointed time, but Vulcan was a no-show.

Le Verrier was troubled by this, but by then more reports were coming in of the planet's sighting. Other astronomers were going back through their records, and were matching up phenomena they had seen with the new planet Vulcan.

Le Verrier was troubled by this, but by then more reports were coming in of the planet's sighting. Other astronomers were going back through their records, and were matching up phenomena they had seen with the new planet Vulcan.

Le Verrier was troubled by this, but by then more reports were coming in of the planet's sighting. Other astronomers were going back through their records, and were matching up phenomena they had seen with the new planet Vulcan.

Some of these were years out of date, and not even listed as to when in the year they had happened, but Le Verrier still used these to tinker with his model, reasoning that perhaps his maths were just out. So he would predict, and would not see Vulcan, and would rework his theory, and would not see it again. Another piece of damning proof came from Emmanuel Lieu, another French astronomer.

Some of these were years out of date, and not even listed as to when in the year they had happened, but Le Verrier still used these to tinker with his model, reasoning that perhaps his maths were just out. So he would predict, and would not see Vulcan, and would rework his theory, and would not see it again. Another piece of damning proof came from Emmanuel Lieu, another French astronomer.

Some of these were years out of date, and not even listed as to when in the year they had happened, but Le Verrier still used these to tinker with his model, reasoning that perhaps his maths were just out. So he would predict, and would not see Vulcan, and would rework his theory, and would not see it again. Another piece of damning proof came from Emmanuel Lieu, another French astronomer.

Lieu claimed that he had been coincidentally looking at the Sun at the exact moment Lescarbol had with the twice as powerful telescope, and had not seen the planet Lescarbol had claimed to have observed. Vulcan's existence floated through murky waters, as there were renowned scientists who did claim to see it from time to time.

Lieu claimed that he had been coincidentally looking at the Sun at the exact moment Lescarbol had with the twice as powerful telescope, and had not seen the planet Lescarbol had claimed to have observed. Vulcan's existence floated through murky waters, as there were renowned scientists who did claim to see it from time to time.

Lieu claimed that he had been coincidentally looking at the Sun at the exact moment Lescarbol had with the twice as powerful telescope, and had not seen the planet Lescarbol had claimed to have observed. Vulcan's existence floated through murky waters, as there were renowned scientists who did claim to see it from time to time.

Le Verrier died in 1877, but just a year later in 1878, two well-renowned astronomers both claimed to have seen Vulcan at the same point in the sky at the same time during a solar eclipse. They even both claimed that the planet was reddish in colour. The corroboration was compelling, yet Vulcan still did not exist. In science, if a fact is true, then it is repeatable.

Le Verrier died in 1877, but just a year later in 1878, two well-renowned astronomers both claimed to have seen Vulcan at the same point in the sky at the same time during a solar eclipse. They even both claimed that the planet was reddish in colour. The corroboration was compelling, yet Vulcan still did not exist. In science, if a fact is true, then it is repeatable.

Le Verrier died in 1877, but just a year later in 1878, two well-renowned astronomers both claimed to have seen Vulcan at the same point in the sky at the same time during a solar eclipse. They even both claimed that the planet was reddish in colour. The corroboration was compelling, yet Vulcan still did not exist. In science, if a fact is true, then it is repeatable.

And in spite of all these observations throughout the years, Vulcan was never repeatedly observed. It was never seen during a solar eclipse again. In time, that corroborated sighting was put down to calculation errors and misidentifying a known star. But ultimately, the one who finally put the idea of Vulcan to rest was Albert Einstein, and he did so by thinking of something completely different.