Newton on the Power of Gravity

As he sat alone in a garden, he [Isaac Newton in 1666, age 24] fell into a speculation on the power of gravity; that as this power is not found sensibly diminished at the remotest distance from the centre of the earth to which we can rise, neither at the tops of the loftiest buildings, nor even on the summits of the highest mountains, it appeared to him reasonable to conclude that this power must extend much further than was usually thought: why not as high as the moon? said he to himself; and if so, her motion must be influenced by it; perhaps she is retained in her orbit thereby.

Notes:

Wondering if it extended up to the moon.

Folksonomies: history discovery gravity

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Entities:
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A View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy

Books, Brochures, and Chapters>Book: Pemberton , Henry and Glover , Richard (1728), A View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy, Retrieved on 2012-06-20

Source Material [books.google.com]