Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1848-06-15
From Blake's Family Encyclopedia.
Fixed Stars.

From Blake's Family Encyclopedia.
i Fixed Stars.
The universe, so far as human observation
has extended, consists of infinite or bOundless
space, in which are numberIess fixed stars. nl
the nature, bulk aud properties of the sun ; but
because they are al such immense distance
from the earth, they appear 10 our eyes only
as so many beautiful shining points. They are
called fixed stars because they do not change,
like the planets, their relative position and
they are distinguished from the planets by their
twnkhng light. sa F@
! |, is supposed Iha, the fixed stars have pri-
mary and secondary planets revolving round
Them as the planets of our system revolve round
the sun. Were the sun as Tar from us as these
stars are. il would doubtless appear as they now
do. 1t Is certain iha. they do not reflect the
suns light as do the planets, for their distance
is so great, that they would mol, in lha. case,
be visible. a"
| All the fixed stars, with The exception Of the
polar or north star, Notwithstanding they do moi
change their relative position, appear TO have a
mollon like the sun and moon, rising in The east.
increasing IN altitude un,il they approach the
meridian, and declining TO the western horizon,
where they disappear. This apparent motion
is caused byaIhe revolution Of the earth ON It's
axis from west TO east. EA
The lmmosable appearance Of the polar star
is occasioned by the axis Of the earth pointing
directly 10 IL. LIS elevation above the horizon
Of any place is always equal 70 the latitude Of
that place, or its nearest distance 10 the equa
tor. t.~a t5at
The number Of fixed stars visible 10 the ma
ked eye, in either hemisphere, is not mote than
a thousand. They seem indeed 10 be innumef.
able, when, in clear winters evening, we
turn our eyes towards the heavens. But by
looking auenively, we shall find that most Of
those brigh. spors, which appeared To be stars,
vanish from our view. This illusion is owing
10 The lwlnkiing lfgh, with which the fixed
stars are seen and, 10 our viewing them con
lusedIy, aud no, reducing them 10 any order.
By The The aid of a telescope We are enabled
discover myriads of STARS, which were before
invisible TO the unassised eye; aud, as we IN.
crease the power Of The instrument, more aud
more stars are brought inio1view, SO that the
number may be considered infinite. DR.. Her
srhe was enabled, in one quarter OF an hour.
to coun, one hundred and sixteen thousand
which passed through the space embraced by
his powerful glass. 1oan eH
Many stars, which 10 an observer unaided
by instruments appear single, are found, on be-
ing examined by telescope, TO consist of two,
and sometimes Of three or more sIafs. DR..
HerscheI discovered four hundred of this de.
soripion. Orher as,r Dnomers have dlseovered
a much gresler number. cg
Upon viewing The heavens on a clear night
we discover pale irregular t,ghl, and num-
bef Of stars whose mingled rays form the lu-
mnou. tract called the Nbilky way. The
stars themselves are at TOO great distance TO
be perceived by The naked eye; and among
those which are visible wuh good telescope
there are spaces apparently filled with others
in immense numbers. Many whi,ish spots or
tracts, called nebuIe, are visible in different
parts Of the heavens. which are supposed to be
milky ways at an incouceivable distance.
The magnuudes OF the fixed stars appear TO
be different from one another. which difference I
may arise either from diversity IN their real
magniudes. or distances /; or from b0h these
causes acting together. The difference in The
apparent magnitude of the stars is such as TO
admi, OF ,heIr being divided inIo SIX classes
The larges. are called stars Of the first magui-
Z t.4
tude, and the least which are visible TO the ma.
ked eye. stars of the SIKH magnitude Stars
that csnno, be'seen without the help of glasses
are called telescope Stars.
Some stars are subjec, TO periodical variations
in apparent magnitude al one lime being al
The second or third, and al another. of The fifth l.
Or SIKH. Some nave alternately been noticed
10 appear and disappeat: being visible for sew
era months, and again invisible. Several stars
by ancient astronomers are not now
q be found; and some are now observed, which
lre mol mentioned in the ancient catalogues.
Il is copjectured that Thea fixed stars are al
such an Immense distance. that light. hIch
moves at the rate Of 100000 miles per second, |
would be nearly one year and quarter IN pas +
ing from lhe nearest fixed star 10 The earth i
lnd cannon ball discharged from "a ponn-
Ter with velocny Of l9 miles minute. would
'e 760 900 year, passing from he nearrs,siar. !
Sound, which moves al the ta,e Of 3 milel a b