The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1841-12-18
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''There dwells noble palhos III the skies
Which warns our passions, proselytes
our heart,
HaAelegantly shines the glowing pole!
, With what authority it gives its charge,
demonstrating great truths IN style sub
lime" Young.
This evening exchange for short
time the incest resort of art, and the enjoy
ment of society, for the noble theatre OF
nature. The lively vemillion which late
" streakcd the chambers OF the west is
all faded away, but the planets one after
another, light up their lamp, the stars ad-
vance in their glittering train, and the
whole armament is klndling into the most
beautiful glow. The blueness of the ether
heightened by the season of the year, and
still more enlivened by the absence OF the
moon: gives those gems OF Heaven the
strongest lpstre. The vast universe as
far as human observation has extended,
consists of an infinite number of stars that
appear nothing more than shining
point. That the stars appear like so many
timnutive, and scarcely distlngulshable
points, is owing to their immense and IN
conceivable distance. Immense and IN
conceivable indeed it is; since ball shot
from loaded cannon, and Tying with I'M
abated rapidly, must travel, at this lmpet-
uous rate, almost seven hundred thousand
years before it could reach the nearest OF
these twinkling luminaries. We can with
an unassisted eye, form no idea oil their
respective distance, nor OF their number.
The telescope has revealed more than
millions, far beyond those observed by
the raled eye. DR.. lIerschel was enabled
in one quarter of an hour, to count one
hundred and sixteen thousand, which
passed through the space OF his pow
erful glass. The Heavens viewed through
the telescope, present quite different ap-
pearance; new worlds burst forth and old
ones expand a thousand times larger. Inc
immense distance of ourncarcst star proves
to us that they are not inferior to our
Earth, and that they shine by their own
light The number of fixed stars, that are
ysabe to the naked eye, are not more lhan
one thousand, though they seem to be
innumerable of clear night; but II we
look attcntivelv at them for some time the
brightest spots will vanish away; this Is
owing to heir twinkling; and this is the
way they are distinguished from the plan
ets. x is Supposed that fixed stars have
primary and secondary planets, revolving
round them. They are called fined stars
Because they do not change their relative
position. All OF them with the exception
of the Norlh polar star appear to have
motion from East To West, like the sun
and moon, bit this is caused by the re-
voulion Of The EarIl on lis axes. Inc
immovabIe appearance Of tho North polar
star is ON account of the poles Of the
earth pointing directly towards 1t, and It's
elevation above the horizon, Is always
equal TO the latitude of The place. some
stars that are now mentioned, were not
TO be found in ancient astronomy, ana
some thai were then, are not to be lound
now. Worlds and systems sse constant
. ly appearing, and disappearing, not less
than Is stars have disappeared during the
last century; and 10 new ones have made
their appearance. Rev. Professor Vine,
one of The most learned and pious men of
the age; remarks; that the disappearance
of some stars may be the destruction OF
that system, at the time appointed by the
Deity for the end of the probation of lis
inhabitants; and the appearance OF new
ones may be the formation of new sys
tens, for new races OF beings, then called
into existence to adore the work of their
creator. Shooting stars have often been
seel, but their phenomenon is not well
understood; some suppose them TO be
caused by electricity, Others that they
are nothing but luminous gas; their APP
pearance is awful but grand. The llea-
geils appear as illuminated by sky rock
cts. They have been supposed by me-
terologists, who suppose them to be
= electricity or luminous gas, TO prognosti-
cate alteration in the weather. The COM
cts are planetary bodies moving in very
elliptic orbits; some times they are very
near the sun, and at others at a great dis
lance They are distinguished by the
long train of light rcceding from them
which sometimes reaches to great dis
lance; they were formally considered as
supernatural agents, sent from the AL
mighty, as omens of plague or pestilence.
The comet of 1856 was viewed with
feelings of terror, by all who saw it; the
belief was general among all classes that it
would destroy the world, and that the day
of Judgment was at hand. Pope Collix
tus issued an anathema in which the Turk
and the comet were both included. He
also ordered that i.Aee Marias' be repeat
ed three times a day, also the Church bell
to be rung at noon. To the IAve Marias'
was added, Lord save us from the Devil,
the Turk, and the comet; The church and
convent were filled with persons for con-
fession of sins. The comet after suffer-