New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-12-24

pleTe OF ana ttll- pIIvl - lla4l 4tHe.iii-
cd on the assertion Of an eminent tr~ncn Observer
Of tho sun, that is borders were ics> luminous
than the centre: and the Inference from this VS.
iusiliied ~ saving that thicker portion Of the
Sun atmosphere came between the eye and he
centre than al The edgc-. This. however, ha- been
proved by NJ Arag not to - the case. There /,
= certain sins OF crystal winch presents double
image: this be employed in MS experiments AID
bv sting the edge OF one image OF The Sun upon
the centre of the other, he showed clearly TIA; this
assertion of the French astronomer WAS rntounded.
shall now dismiss the subject OF the sun. a.
ihough, did M linz y allow. might DISCOURSE
vo!ut4es upon 1t, and give you . multitude OF facts
not less interesting than those | have already
brought forward. So many other subjects how
ever claim attention tina, can proceed no farther
with TINS.
row come 10 notice the Fixed Stars. and al
that can do tonight, without infringing on sou
time more than dare 10 DO i 10 explain IS well
the mathematical nature OF me subject will admit.
he ~av in which We dctcrmine-not the distance
Of the Fixed Stars for that 10 powers II intellect
with orr present data can do-ou; TIE ds'ance
from the Solar System less than which We know
the nearest Of them be. This isa species Of
INQUIRY which may le made and in winch we can
saw this that the nearest fixed star is farther
from our System than certain uaneable number
Of miles.
Before proceed to exhibit tie mode Of making
this cllcu auon, let me- say thac rEsre arc certain
methods OF proving. with absolute certainty, tina
-eyond tie limit, ot;he Soa System there Is a ya>'.
unreasonable abyss OF space in which there exists
40 material body. FOR our system, swinging ia
chis bouudess void. has been supplied by lis Max
er with tselers Of the most delicate feasibility
which reach fir out ntO the empty -psce-i4r be-
sond the limits OF vision and almost Oi thought
examine is whole extent with unerrins skill, and
enable u To say with absolute certainty that
here Is within that abyss no mas Of matter OF any
,erceptble gravity. these feel rs arctic C0lp-
els. HALLEs comet,as have before shown,swc-ps
around the Sun in an orbit reaching TWO hundred
thou>a and millions @. miles beyond the most distant
planet in the Solar System, which ITSELF i. two
thousand millions OF miles Fl m that s. stems CEN
ire. Hnlles comet, then, when it swept past Us in
ITS orbit round the Sun in 1853, and passed close
20 that umasry, traverscd the distant orbits OF Ju-
oi,er and H,rschell, issued from the Solar System
and launched into thu abyss of spare, winging It's
invisible way two hundred thousand millions OF
miles beyond Hcrschell's fsr-oti croit. For seven
ly-tvc years it traversed the everlasting void no
eye b-held it in its silent Journey; it went IN
seen but not unknown; the finger OF philosophy
upon it. the eye of the mind bei-d 1t in IL
wanderlngs, traced its devalons. noted all is do
ing. aud patiently waited its reappe@rsnce in 1855
near he Constellation of the Great B-ar-the pre-
else spot and date assigned 30 1t by the unerring
avs Of Science. Now, if in that great abyss Of
two hundred thousand millions of miles which
lawns between the far,hcs limits OF the Solar Sys-
tenn, and the nearest possible material body,
here had existed any mass OF matter, IT, power
of attraction upon that Gomez would have been
made known causing 1t 10 dcviate from Its
course and engthering or shortening ih- time Of
its absence. What took place between 1862 and
1887 At that time CLAIRAULT calculated the
goings on OF this comet in he regions OF invisible
space and predicted It's temperance. He said,
know no, that it will appear upon that day. Be
yond the bounds of Sururns orbit there may
another planet; if there be one there is intin-
encc will be felt by the comet and ii will not return
1t the precise period have named. That planet
lid rxist-its innuence lrds exerted and the comet
did not retuInupon tn, day atirsi assigned by Clair
uult. But this comet ha> gone two hundred
thon.ai millions OF miles ,eyond mat planetaud yet
il feels no other power. ! neither anticipates lis
time nor fingers on its way. This comet then Of
Halle is = swift-wingcd messenger sent out from
hu; vast chasm any material substance 1t has
gone on its miss; N and returned, and II tells US
tAcrc IS rene. Within the measuro!es> universe
~ Solar system stands alone ouad about ii Is
a WASH aad empty chnsm in which 40 material body
mas being.
Now let Us see what are the calculations which
tell US the limits within which the nearest fixed
star cannot be.
You will all recognize the principle Of the fol-
lowing calculation: il andins in this position
behold distant olje,t, as that chandelier IN the
dstan, part OF rh building, and then take IL bear
ng taen if change my position and again take
the bearing OF the ahiect-and then measure the
distance between my twp positions, have all the
data necessary II calculate the distance OF the
chandelier have given all the angles and one side
Of the great triansle the calculation Of the length
of The other sides Is extremely simple. Now ! peg
YOU % consider this suppose that | ain not a
man capable of changing my position thus: but
suppose the intellect possess To reside III h. head
OF an aninalcule having his komc upon grain Ct
dust upon tins floor Suppose the lift!e creature 10
be rejecting upon hat distant chandelier and curl
Gus TO know It's distance. This he proceeds Il cal
culate sianding upon one ,ide OF his grain ot
,ard he takes the bearing of the brillian; light; ne
travels over hi, earth-a distance perhaps o;
thousandth part of ali iuch,-and again attempts
to take It's bearing. He is astouisAed to behold
that it l. gust the same the greatest distance be
can possibly trayel-tue largest base lie get
tie diameter Of Ms grain Of sand Is 50 nconceiva-
bly, small thlt he * utterly unable to st any new
b airing and therefore 10 obtain any modulus where
by to measure the distance Of the chandelier.
Our animacuis is Man-paced upon the Earth;
The chandelier Is The nearest fixed star. On the
frs; OF January he looks at the star and takes It's
bearing. H says-I know that the Earth travels
around the Sun in an orbit two hundred millions OF
miles in diameter. knew then, that or the irst
Of Ju!,-six months from this time-I shall be at
the vast distance OF two hundred millions OF miles
from my present station. ! vii! watt and when