The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-12-12
From the Scientific American.
The Final Fate of the Universe.

~ihour any fore acii"y np"n each other
than their own g'avty. thev wnu'd I'm
npd'aiely start coward each other. and
won d rush r"g-,n-t. the sun snd pl.n.,.
which constitute the stellar srsr-m, TO
which our .,hsr systriD b.oups are n,.,
Vrh'-d from rnn,n"g t"ye her INTO one
mass M their rev" ut."ns ahout each
her The tevoInri"ns Of the pauets
around onr sun. and ~ ihe sa;e'' ties arou,
th-r PRIMARIES. have b-eu asc.r,aiu.d.
with that wonderful precision which is
the just pride of Astronomical scienr.. and
aS'ron"me's are now engaged in The SUI.
hme pr"bl.,n "f unravelnru the revnIu.
lions OF tho countless sn,s ,ha, m.kr ~,
our stellar system. Already the cluster
"f III" z eiades is indicated as the pro.
ims'- locality of the c-nire around wb;rl,
our sun. with his attendant planets. is
sweeping his vast orbit {; and II is suy
gest"d tia, it il probably the common
c-'r,r- "f tna "rhits OF all the suns of our
s'.ll"r ,,snm
" 'he forre Of gravity ax'ends across
III" 'n""n"eiv .hle spaces which separate
the several stellar s,sems of the un;vers.
'"ose svstems must rush together unless
thev are he'd apsrt Nv revornrions around
.acl, other
" light were ~ emars'ion. "a held nv
Nrw'"n. the spaces between the solid
NO liss It he universe Nigh, be absolute
" empty; and IN that case, the revnln
rions "f the hodiss around each other
m'Ch, O" on f"rever On the other hand
u hgh ia vihra,i"n in a subl. fluid. III Q
finil must ohs'rnct the motions Of h, dies
ravo'vinV in il. and thew must finally
come ,ogather in one mass. The espari.
msn' so ingeniousy devised bv Arago.
and carried out with .uch honorable re-
gard for the fame Of ito designer nv Messr,
F""can',. FizAan and Ba'equA. to deter
velocity Of light in its passage through
air and wafer. has demonstrated ths,
light ia a vibration II fellows from this
that. as Ear rs light extends. space is filled
with ms'erisl huid which re.is,s tn.
motion of hodies revolving in il. and
bodies within this space must gradually
VIVID '-ir wsv inward. and ultimately
come ,"gsther into one mass.
The moon must he drawing very slow
" nearer and nearer the earth. and the
two bodies. in The fa' di~ran, future evil
come together. The solid crus, nf IN.
earth will I've broken up bv the shock. an
immense quantity Of heat will he general
ed bv the destruction oi the moons mo-
ion, and the tw" bodies will fuse tope,n.
er 'n,o on. m"ren cloh.. A. the new
and enlarge. earth is coo'ed upon its sur
fnce. ssrnnd .er-s ~ yeo'o neal demo .;ts
will lie constituted. accompanied. perhaps.
bv strange aud inronceivable forms of
an;'nsl and veye,ab'e lif..
At the same time. the earth is wind no
i's Nav inward r"~arL the sun, and must
ultimately fa' an 'nc""sider.hs pehh'e,
into the vast r'"sing mass. The sam.
fate awaits all the planets. and our solar
system mus, ons dsv be but single
globe. When this sInb- is cooled to the
right Temperature. IL NAV hs covered with
multitude Of inh habianrs, AMI astrono
m-rs NAV rise who ~iil watch its rsvolu.
lions among the associated suns OF our
stellar system. II their knowledge and
intellect are equal To the science of our
astronomers, thev will i0r-see : lie ultimate
coming together OF all these suns into one
Common globe. Aud not this only, for
they will predict The 6naI coming tog.th
er Of al The stellar systems OF the visible
universe into one mss of matter
When this mass is first collected. it will
be intensely no; from the destruction Of
"ot'on in the several suns and systems of
suns rs they come together. The heat
W u he rndis,ed outward into the universe.
ard the one mass of matter will be grad.
uallS cooled. During the cooling there
vi be the same play and mutual inter
change Of heat, light. electricity. magnet
isn, ana other imponderable forces that
is now upon this earth As tbs cooling
proceeds the action Of these forces will
diminish; when OF degrees !, rsachsd.
light will cease and darkness will fill the
universe As each vibration OF hsar leaves
the mater'a! mass. IL will Expand outward
at the rate Of l92, 900 miles per second
in all directions, IN the form Of swift
swelling hollow globe. When the tenn
pesa'urs Of absolute cold is reached
(-4G3 Q deOrees.1 the last yibra,ioo of