Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-12-07
Tar FINAL DESTINY OF THE EARTH.

TaE FINAL DESTINY OF THE EARTH.
-Encke's comet, which revolves about
the sun in three and hale years, has
been observed to complete its revolu-
ton in a constantly shortening period,
showing that it is being drawn inward
toward the sun. This fact has led to
the general conclusion by astronomers
that the planets are moving in resist
less medium, far more attenuated than
our atmosphere, but still sufficient to
effect their motions. If this IS so, it
follows by strict necessity that our
earth and It's sister orbs are all winding
epirally toward the sun, and that they
must eventually strike against it, and
become incorporated with its mass
The time required for this purpose
belongs to those uncomfortable perit DIS
with which geology and astronomy have
to deal. The resisting medium is 80
exceedingly attenuated that it exerts
but slight influence on the comets,
which are themselves masses of the very
thinnest vapor, and its influence would
Of course be very much less on the dense
matter of the planets
Astronomical observations, with all
their wonderful delicacy, have yet fail
ed to detect the slig atest progress sive
shortening in the periods of revolution
of any Of the planets. 1t is curious,
however, to note tie multiplied obsts-
Giles which prevent the perception of
this fact, if it does esist. All the
measures of these revolutions are short
ening with the revolutions themselves
If we begin, for instance, with tn e
earth, the problem is to ascertain wheth-
er tho time occupied by the earth in its
Journey around the SIM is gradually
becoming shorter. The first plan that
suggests itself is to compare this with
the rotation Of the earth upon its axis,
to see whether the year occupies the
same number of days and hours and
seconds that it did in former times
But if the earth is gradually cooling, il
is contracting in size, and its rotation:
on its axis are becoming more rapid
in other words, the day is shortening
ling with the year and if the measure
. shrinks just in proportion to the thing
3 measured, We cannot tell whether tn,
latter is becoming shorter or nov.
. If We take the time of the revolutions
of the moon around the earth as stan
dard, the same resisting medium woult
draw the noon toward the earth, an(
shorten the month also with the year
If we resort even to the less satisfacto
t ry measure of the suns rotation on hi
0 axis, his bulk is also diminishing by thu
, radiation Of his heat, and the perio,
, of his rotation is, consequently, becom
t ing shorter. In brief, from the tw'
e cases Of radiation and the resisting
= medium, all the times and distance
which could be used to measure tn
earth's distance from the sun Cor tn
period Of its annual revolu.ion) ar
Q shortening together. So that the DIFF
n ferences in the extent Of these severa
q contradictions are the only means lief
K for detecting by observation the ap
proach Ct the earth to the sun, if sue
: approach is really taking place. Thes
4 differences would doubtless reveal them
selves in the course of generations t.
n refined astronomical observations.
e If the earth and the sun are gradu.
f ally becoming cold, this winding of tn
{. earth towards the sun would tend tt
. keep up its warmth, and it may be
wise provision for prolonging, by som
millions of years, the continuance o
animal life upon our globe. But thi
. periot must come to close, for i
there is q resisting medium, p ,rvadins
the space between us and the sun, tn
S final destiny OF the earth is to curv'
It gradually forward till, with velocit.
e hundreds Of times greater than that {
!. a common bali, it dashes itself with al
d awfully sublime crash into the mass o
the SUM- Scientific american.
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