[Ahldagor]

Originally Posted by Daywolf [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Here's something to chew on:

They [the Laputians] have likewise discovered two lesser stars, or satellites, which revolve about Mars, whereof the innermost is distant from the center of the primary planet exactly three of its diameters, and the outermost five; the former revolves in the space of ten hours, and the latter in twenty-one and a half; so that the squares of their periodical times are very near the same proportion with the cubes of their distance from the center of Mars, which evidently shows them to be governed by the same law of gravitation that influences the other heavenly bodies.

This written by Swift 150 years before the moons official modern discovery. His accuracy? Two moons that are:
Phobos’ orbital period of 7.6 hours, Swift recorded 10 hours.
Deimos’ orbital period of 30.2 hours, Swift recorded 21.5 hours.

That's too accurate to just be a coincidence, where did he get that from?
Maybe even accurate enough to have once been in those orbits long ago.
Written here in 1726.

You do realize that humans had been recognizing patterns sans light pollution and with telescopes for about 400 years prior to 1726, right?