Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-09
THE FINAL FATE OF THE
UNIVERSE.

Iftwo bodies we're placed in space
without any force acting upon each other
than their own gravity, they would imme-
diately start toward each other, and
would rush together The sun and plan
cts, which constitute the stellar system to
which our solar system belongs, are pre-
vented from running together into one
mass by their revolutions about each
other The revolutions of the planets
around our sun, and of the satellites
about their primaries, have been ascer-
tanned, with that wonderful precision
which is the just pride of astronomical
science, and astronomers are now en-
gagged in the sublime problem of unrav-
cling the revolutions of the countless
suns that make up our stellar system.
Already the cluster of the Pleiades is
indicated as the proximate locality OF
the centre around which our sun, with
his attendant planets, is sweeping his
vast orbit; and tits suggested that 1t IS
probably the common centre of the orbits
of all the suns Of our stellar system.
If the force of gravity extends across
the inconceiyahle spaces which separate
the several stellar systems of the uni
verse, those systems must rush together
unless they are held apart by revolutions
around each other
If light were an emanation, as held by
Newton, the spaces between the solld
bodies of the universe might be abso-
lutely empty; and IN that case, the revo-
lutions of the bodies around each other
might 60 on forever. On the other hand
if light is vibration in subtle fluid,
the fluid must obstruct the motions OF
bodies revolving in 1t, and they must
finally come together IN one mass. The
experiment SO ingenlousiy devised py
Arago, and carried out with such honor
able regard tor the lame OF It's designer
by Messrs. Feucault, tlzeau ana bereguet
to determine whether there is difference
in the velocity of light, IN Its passage
through air and water, has demonstrated
that light is q vibration; IL ioiiows from
this that, as far as iight extends space
is filed with material huid which re-
sists the motion of bodies revolving In
it, and bodies within this space must
gradually wind their way inward, and
ultimately come together into one mass,
The moon must be drawing very slowly
nearer and nearer to the earth, and the
two bodies, in the far distant future, VIII
come together The solid crust OF the
earth will be broken up by the shock, an
immense quantity Of heat will be gene
rated by the destruction Oh tne moon
motion, and the two bodies will fuse to-
gether into one molten globe. AS the
new and enlarged earth Is cooled. npon
its surface, second series OF geological
deposits will be constituted, accompa-
MED, perhaps, by strange and incon-
ceiyabfe forms Of animal and vegetable
life.
At the same time, the earth is winding
its way inward toward the sun, and must
ultimately fall an inconsiderable pebble,
into the vast glowing mass. The same
fate awaits all the planets, and our solar
system must one day be but a single
globe. When this globe is cooled to the
right temperature, it may be covered
with a multitude Of inhabitants, and as
tronomers NAV rise who will watch its
revolutions among the associated suns of
our stellar system. If their knowledge
and intellect are equal to the science of
onr astronomers. they will foresee the
ultimate coming together of all these
ssns into Que common globe. And not
,b;s only. for they will predict the final
con,;ng com tooether of all the stellar systems
&c tbn visible universe into one mass Of
m matter - .i., r,r
when this mass is first collected, ii will
h. ;n,.nselv hot from the destruction of
notion in the several suns aud systems