Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-05-15


CURIOUS ASTRONOMICAL SPEcuLArroNs.--
Frof. Nicol, in a recent lecture at Manchester.
England, spoke with great confidence in sun
port of the theory that this earth has rings
similar to those of Saturn. His speculations
on this and connected subjects, are very in.
terestng:
what had hitherto been called the zodac-
al hight was only visible here in the form of a
cone, but an American astronomer who had
gone TO Japan and other favorable ponts tn
investigate the subject, found TINT the cone
opened out and extended across the heavens
from horizon to horizon, and that he had. bv
observation during the night, seen about
three-tourths of the circle. This observer
found that we had only been looking at the
ring as we might do at a hoop held edgewise.
thus making it assume a conica form. The
theory previously held that the zodiacal light
proceeded from nehalous ring surrounding
the EARTH He explained, by means of d.
agram, that We should see the rays from this
ring reflected more strongly from our horizon
snah at Its points higher up in the heavens.
no ring round the sun could explain this APP
pearanee, but one round the earth would en-
tirely, They were forced also to the conclu
sion that it was not one ring only, but per
haps several. Its distance was about ona
hundred thousand miles its breadth Rftv-
two thousand miles; its depth was not vet
known; the mass of matter in it must be
enormous, and no doubt it was fulfilling some
important function in regard to the earth and
the solar system.
:" From the dynamical conclusions of La
place combined with the changes ascertained,
the lecturer drew the inference that the rings
have no conference; that they are neither va
por nor fluid and gave as a theory of their
constitution that they are composed Of mill
lions OF asteroids circulating round the planet
hence our meteorolites-- the bright parts
being where they are most thickly strewed,
and the dark lines the absence of them
There was faint, slaty colored ring seen
within the others, and this appeared to be
! gradually approaching the planet. 1t had
| approached at the rate Of fifty miles a year
lattery at about eighty miles year and if
1t increased to one hundred miles year, it
would reach the planet itself in enc hundred
aud eighty years" s1 7af srasa
The remaining portion of the lecture was
| occupied with consideration of the cause of
the SUMS heat, and how il was sustained,
Its heat was estimated to be equivalent TO
one third OF ton Of coal consumed on every
square foot OF Its surface in an hour. A GER
tain amount OF heat would produce a certain
amount of mechanical effect and the con-
verse was equally true that no mechanical eff.
feet OF force could be DESTROYED without evols
wing as much heat as would reproduce it,
The lecturer applied the latter part of this
reasoning to the sun. If the planet Mercury
were to fall upon the sun, it would be at the
rate OF three huudEed and ninety millions of
miles in second. An amount OF mechani.
cal effect would thereby be destroyed as
would supply the sun with as much heat as
he radiates IN three years, and that heat
wonld Immediately flash through the stellar
spaces The lecturer attributed the sustained
heat of the sun to vast numbers of meteorltes
falling upon his surface, some Of which might
cause eddies in the atmosphere. and produce
the spots which were frequently visible. He
expressed lis belief that from the retarding
effect of ether in space, all bodies were ap-
preaching their centres. .i tl sasat sfa