However, it would
never _entirely_ lose its weight, as the terrestrial attraction would
have always made itself felt at no matter what distance. But as the
Earth is not the only celestial body possessing attraction, it is
evident that there may be a point in space where the respective
attractions may be entirely annihilated by mutual counteraction. Of this
phenomenon the present instance was a case in point. In a short time,
the Projectile and its contents would for a few moments be absolutely
and completely deprived of all weight whatsoever.
The path described by the Projectile was evidently a line from the Earth
to the Moon averaging somewhat less than 240,000 miles in length.
According as the distance between the Projectile and the Earth was
increasing, the terrestrial attraction was diminishing in the ratio of
the square of the distance, and the lunar attraction was augmenting in
the same proportion.
As before observed, the point was not now far off where, the two
attractions counteracting each other, the bullet would actually weigh
nothing at all. If the masses of the Earth and the Moon had been equal,
this should evidently be found half way between the two bodies.
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