North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-08-20

CosMos-HuMBoLDT-W oNDERFUL Results. The
third volume of Humbodts Cosmos, just published
| by the Harpers, contains much information on SUI
jecs in Astronomy, which is not easily accessio'e
| Such work is important to show to mutltuoe ~
minds the subjects which have employed 50 many
philosophc heads, and some of which are SO Id ie
| moved from the usual fields of thought.
AS affecting the distances OF BODIES anu VIC =
nitudes of fixed stars, it becomes great hd''e ~
discover the intensity of the light OF .he sun, "'oo
and stars The difference in the light OF Gay, anu
of the NIGHT under the full moon, IS obvious 10 Inc
common Owe in the general, but TO determine the re-
a,ive Jaoyees Of light with any accuracy IS not so
easy q task 1t was good while ago concnded tha'
the LIGHT of the sun is 100000 times that OF the moon
g. 5v day the moon appears no brighter than the
clouds on which the sun Is shining. Inc largest
and brightest of all the fixed stars IS SIRIUS or me
Dop-star which is now setting nearly win the Suh'
Woastore's experiments make the light 81 the sun;
Sol O72 times greater than that of the full MOON and
the brightness of the sun TO exceed that OF SIRIUS
twenty thousand million times. Hence 1t follow
that, with the acknowledged distance of Sirius he
must send forth 63 times as much light as the sum-
If Sirius were at the distance with the sun, the
sky and earth would be SO times as bright as 1t Is
now under the full crbed sun, and the light would
be iusufferable by eyes. Sirius may then be 6S
times as LARGE as the sun or, if of the same magn
tude as the sun, must 63 times much light
What magnifcence does such view impart 10 the
heavens-to the stars
Whe the fixed stars retain their relatatlve dis
tances, they are slowly approaching each other in
one part of the heavens and recedng In the opposite
mart Herschel inferred that the whole solar system
is moving towards the CENTRE and proceeded to COM
pute the point to be in or near the constellation OF
Hercules, which is the meridian little South of
us at nine o'clock in the evening. Other astrono-
mers have arrived nearly the result from in
dependent calculations. This result has been reached
from stars North of the equator; but, in few past
years the same conclusion has been derived from the
Southern stars. The motion of the solar system,
and the direction of that motion appear to be estab-
lished conclusions in Astronomy. This is a magnif-
cent result. While planets and their secondaries
revolving round the their centre. the sun and
all his attendants moving EDWARDS in the nhnity
of space probably in mighty revolution round some
more wonderous CENTRE and the place Of that centre
in space is Appropriated.
What would be the result if the canopy over US
was covered with stars in successive strata, till the
whole was filled with stars even more than the gal
axy, if the light should pass without any Interrupt
lion, and be lost by the distance of the stars
Oilers maintained the armament would be one glow
of light. The stars would net be distinguished,
constellation would be known, the sun would be
tced only by its spots, and the moon appear as
black disc. The advantage of the prenset arrange
men; of the stars is most apparent. 1t would be
aso that if the canopy shot its rays across the
sky the dark spots the and the dark body of
the moon, would be either luminous the sun,
the moon be distinguished by its present polar light.
if it did not become brighter by the reflection of
light. Certainly the sun, moon and earth would be
the only celestial bodies, and nearly the whole Of
tronomy would be not even imag ined. What a
world of wonders in astronomy.