Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-02-14
ASTRONOMICAL.
The Final Fate of the Universe.

The Final Fate of the Universe.
From the Scientific American.
If two bodies were placed in space with
out any force acting upon each other than
their own gravity, they would Immediately
start toward each other, and would rush
together. The sun and planets which con-
stitute the stellar system to which our
solar system belongs, are prevented from
running together into one mass by their
revolutions about each other. The reVO-
lutions of the planets around our sun, ana
of the satellites about their primaries, have
been ascertained with that wonderful pre-
cision which is the just pride of astronom-
ical science, and astronomers are now en-
gagged in the sublime problem OF unravel-
ing the revolutions OF the countless clusters
that make up our solar system. Already
the cluster of the Pleiades is Indicated as
the proximate locality of the center round
which our sun, with its attendant planets,
is sweeping its vast orbit; and it is sug-
gested that it is probably the common cen
tire of the orbits of all the suns of our stel-
lear system
If the force of gravity extends across the
| inconceiVable spaces which separate the
several stellar systems Of the universe,
those systems must rush together unless
they are held apart by revolutions around
each other 3 so hs
If light were an emanation, as held by
| Newton, the spaces between the solid
| bodies of the universe might be absolutely
empty; and, in that case, the revolutions
of the bodies around each other might go
| on forever On the other hand, if light
is vibration in a subtle fluid, the fluid
might obstruct the motion of bodies re-
volving in it, and they must finally come
together in one mass. The experiment so
| ingenpusly devised by Arago, and carried
| out with such honorable regard for the
fame of its designer by Messrs. Foucault,
Fizeau and Berique, to determine whether
there is difference in the velocity of light
in its passage through air and water, has
| demonstrated that light is a vibration. 1t
follows from this that, as far as light eX.
tends, space is filled with material fluid,
which resists the motion of bodies reyolv-
ing in it and bodies within this space must
/ gradually wind their way inward, and Ill
timately come together in one mass
j. The moon mnst be drawing slowly near
er and nearer the earth, and the two bodies,
in the far distant future, win come togeth-
er. The solid crust of the earth will be
broken up by the shock, an immense guam
tity Of heat will be generated by the de
struction of the moons motion, and the
two bodies will fuse together into one mol
| ten globe. AS the new and enlarged earth
is cooled upon its surface, q second series
of geological deposits will be constituted
accompanied, perhaps, by strange and in
conceivable forms Of animal and vegetable
life. @.s
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
| that globe is cooled to the right tempera-
| ture, it may be covered with multitude
Of inhabitants, and astronomers may arise
who will watch its revolutions among the
| associated suns of our stellar system. II
their knowledge and intellect are equal to
| the science of our astronomers they will
| foresee the ultimate coming together of all
| these suns into one common globe. And
not this only, for they will predict the
final coming together of all the stellar sys-
| TENS of the visible universe into one mass
| of matter.
When this mass is first collected, it will
be intensely hot iron the destruction OF
| motion in the several suns and systems OF
suns as they come together. The heat will
| be radiated outward into the universe, and
the one mass of matter will be gradually
cooled. During the cooling there will be
the same play and mutual interchange OF
heat, light, electricity, magnetism, and
| other imponderable forces that are now
upon the earth. AS the cooling proceeds,
tie action OF these forces will diminish
when 977 degrees is reached, light will
cease, and darkness will fill the universe.
each vibration of heat leaves the material
mass, it will expand upward at the rate OF
1922 900 miles per second in all directions,
| in the form of a quick-swelling hollow
globe. When the temperature of absolute
cold is reached (492.2 degrees), the last vi
bration of heat will leave the mass of mat
| ter, and will expand outward through all
| infnity of space and time. s
| Surprising, however, the ethereal fluid
which fills the visible portion of the uni
verse is limited in extent, so that the last
vibration of heat will reach its boundaries
and cease; what then becomes of the
force of the universe and Of the doctrine
of the conversion of force?
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