The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-12-21
The Final Destiny Of the Earth.

Encke's comet, which rovolves about the
sun in throo aud half years, has boon OBJ
served 10 complete its revolution 10 q con-
stantly shortening period, showing that it is
being drawn inward toward tho sun. This
fact has led to the general conclusion by
astronomers that the planets are moving IN
resisting medium, far more nitenuated
than our atmosphere, hut still sufficient to
affect their motions. II this is so, it follows
by sirict necessity that our earth and it's
sister orbs arc all winding spirally toward
tho sun, and that they must eventually
strike against IL and become incorporated
with it's macs. The timo required for this
purpose belongs to those incOnceivablo
periods with which geology aud astronomy
have to deal. The resisting medium is SO
exceedingly attenuated that il cxerts but q
slight influence on tho somats, which, arc
themselves masses of tho very thinest vapor
aud its influence would of course DO very
much less on the dense matter of the
planets.
Astronomical observations, with all their
wonderful delicacy, have vet failed to detect
tho slightest progressive shortening in the
periods OF revolutions of any of the planets
IL is curious, however,to note tho multiplied
obstacles which provont tho pcrcoptioni0
this fact, il il doos exist All tho measure,
of these revolutions are shortening with the
revolutions themselves. II wo begin, fol
instance, with tho earth, the problem is tC
ascortain whether the time occupied by tn,
earth in its journey around tho sun is grad
ually becoming shortor.
The first plan that suggests itself is II
compare this with the rotation of tho eartt
upon it's axis, to SEQ whether the year &c
cupics tho same number of DAYS and hour
and seconds that it did in former times
But If tho earth is gradually cooling, II i
contracting in size, and its rotations on III
axis are becoming more rapid in otho
words, tho day is shortening with tho year
and it the measure shrinks just in proper
tion to the thing measured, we cannot tel
whether tho latter is becoming shorter o
not.
If wo tako tho sime of tho revolutions o
T tho moon around tho earth as n standard
the same resisting medium would draw tn
moon toward tho earth, and shorten tn
month also with the year. II We rcsor
even to the less satisfactory measure of til,
suns rotation on his axis, his bulk is alst
diminishing By the radiation of his heat
and tho period of his rotation is cOnsc
q"nntiy becoming shorter.
|
and the resisting medium, all the times an,
distances which could be used to mcasur
tho enrth's distance from the eun (or tn
period of its annual revolution) arc shorten
ing together. So that the differences il
the extent of these several contradiction
nro the only means left for detecting by Oh
servation tho approach of the earth to tn
sun, If such approach is really taking place
These differences would doubtless reveo
themselves in tho course Of generations t
refined astronomical observations.
If the earth and tho sun are gradually be
coming cold. this winding of the cart
toward the sun would tend 10 keep up it
warmth, and it may be wise provision 70
proonging, by some millions of years. tn
continuance Of animal life upon our globe
But this period must como to close, for
there is resisting medium pervading tn
space between us and the sun, tho final doe
tiny Of the Garth is to curve gradually for
ward ill. with velocity hundreds OF time
greater than that of cannon ball. it dashe
} itself with an awfully sublime crash into tn
} inass of tho sun.-Scieniifc american.