Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-02-04
MISCEIIA a N x.
The Final Fate of the Universe.
From tho Scientific American.


lar SYSTEM to which our solar system belongs,
arc prevented from running together into one
mass by their revolutions about each othcr.-
The revolutions Of the planets around our sun.
and of the satellites about their primaries,
have been asccrtaincd with that wonderful
precision which is the just pride of astronom-
cal science, and astronomers are now engaged
in the sublime problem of unravelng the rev.
outions Of the countless cluster that make up
our stellar system Already the cluster Of the
Pleiadcs is indicated as the proxinate locality
Of the ocutre around which our sun, with his
attendant planets is sweeping his vast erbit ;
and tits suggested that it is probably the com.
mon centre of the orbits of ull the suns Of
the stellar system.
If the force Of gravity extends across the
inconceyable spaces which separate the scve-
ral stellar systems of the universe, those sys.
TENS must rush together unless they are held
apart by revolutions around each other.
If light were an tmanation, as held by New
ton, the spaces between the solid bodies of the
universe might be absolutely empty; and, in
that case, the revolutions Of the bodies around
each ether might 90 on forever On the 9th
er hand, if light is vibration in subtle
fluid, the fluid might obstruct the motions Of
bodies revolving in it, and they must finally
come together in one mass. The experiment
so ingeniously devised by Arago. aud carried
out with such honorable regard for the fame
Of its designer by Nlessrs. Foucault, Fizcau
and Bercquc, to determine whether there is
difference in the velocity of light in its pas
sage through air aud water, has demonstrated
that light is vibration. 1t follows from this
that, rs far as light extends, space is filed
with material fluid, which rcsists the motion
Of bodies revolving i'll it; md bodies within
this space must gradually wind their way in
ward, and ultimately come together into one
mass.
The moon must be drawing slowly nearer
and nearer the earth, and the two bodies, in
the far distant future, will comes together
The solid crust of the earth will be broken
up - the shock, an immense quantity Of
heat will be generated by the destruction OF
the moons motion, and the two bodies will
fuse together into one molten globe. As the
new and enlarged earth is cooled upon it's sur
face, second series of geological deposits will
be constituted, accompanied, perhaps, by
strange and inconccyablc forms Of animal and
vegetable life.
At the same time, the earth is winding its
way inward toward the sun, and must ult
mately fall, an inconsidcrablc pebble, into the
fast glowing mass. The same fate awaits all
the planets, and our solar system must one day
be but single globe. When that globe is
cooled to the right tenn mperature, it may be Gov
cred with multitude of Inhabitants, and as-
tronomers may rise who will watch its rcvnlu.
tlons among the associated suns of our stellar
system. LII their knowledge and intellect arc
equnl to the science Of our astronomers, they
will foresec 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 systems OF
the visible universe into one mass Of matter
When this mass is first collected, it will be
Intensely hot from the destruction of motion
in the several suns and systems of suns as
they come together. The heat will be radia-
ted outward into the universe, and the one
mass of matter will be gradually cooled Du-
ring the cooling there will be the same play
and mutual Interchange of heat, light electric
ity, magnetism and other impondcrallc forces
that are now upon this earth. AS the cooling
proceeds, the action Of these forces will di,
minish; when 077 degrees is reached, light
will cease and darkness will fill the universe
AS each vibration Of heat leaves the material
mass, it will expand outward at the rate of
l92,Oo0 miles per second in all directions, in
she form of n swiftswclling hollow globe
When the temperature of absolute cold is
reached. (-492-2 deg,) tho last vibration of
heat will leave the mass Of matter, and will
expand outward through all infnity of space
and time.
Snpposing, however, the ethereal fluid which
fills the visible portion Of the universe is limi-
ted 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?
Esr A despatch dated Boston, january
says. "Governor Bullock sent to the Legis
loturc to-day letter received by him from
Govenor Orr, of South Carolina, which con
tanned the following passage: "I have tn,