, 1867-02-15
n. F''.' rsss s.. 4 ,ss :

The Final Fate OF the Untverse-- .Astronom
Il tcal SpeeuiatIons.
u two bodies were placed 10 space without
any force actiug upon each other than their ,Ow
/ grayityi hey WOHld Immediately start toward
eacni otncri and would rush together The sun
and planeis which constitute the stellar system.
70 which onr solar system belongs are prevented
from running together into one mass by their
revolutions about each other. The revolutions
OF the f,anee around our sun, aud or the sat
e'ites aoont their primaries, have been ascer,
tanned With that wonderful precision which. il
zoe Ss 5s d sP6s ss ARd mas as:
4 blrn 1Szfrnyelisg the resolntIoui of he 81,
4 suns that make up our stellar system. Already
the cluster ofthe Pleiades is Indicated as ne
Laproximate locality Of the centre around which
our with bis attendant planets Is sweenioo
bis vast orbit; andit Is suggested that t is oro.
badly the common centre Of the orbits of all
the suns of our stellar system.
If the force Of gravity extends across the in /.
conceivable 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. =
| II light were an emanation, 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 other might go on so forever On the other
hand. IL light is a vibration in a subtle fluid.
| the fluid might obstruct the motions of bodies
| revolving in it, and they must finally come To,
gether in one mass. The experiment so ingeni,
ously devised by ArAgo, and carried out with
such honorable regard for the fame of its de-
slgner, by Messrs. Foucault, Bereque and Fzeau,
to determine whether there is a difference in the
velocity Of light in its passage through air and
water, has demonstrated that light Is vihra.
ton. 1t follows from this that ns far as light
extends, space is filled with material fluid.
which resists the motion Of bodies revolving IN
il; and bodies within this space must gradually
wind their way inward, and ultimately come to.
gether into one mass.
The moon must be drawing very slowly nearer
and nearer the earth, and the two bodies in the
far distant future will come together The solid
crust of the earth will be broken up by the
shock. an immense quantity Of heat will be gen
Grated by the moons motion, and the two bodies
Will fuse together into one molten globe. As
the new and enlarged earth is cooled upon its
surface, a second series Of geological deposits
will be constituted, accompanied, perhaps, bv |
strange, and inconeeivable forms of animal and |
vegetable lite.
At the same time the earth Is winding its way
inward toward the sun, aud must ultimately fall |
lnconsiderable pebble into the fast glowing
mass. The same fate awaits all the planets, and |
our solar system must cue day be but single |
globe. When this globe is cooled to the right |
temperature, it may be covered with a multitude |
Of Inhabitants and astronomers may rise who |
Will watch ITS revolutions among tue associated /
s Ia ar v;sTt 4sT t Atdda Is tue ciete u
trnnomers they will foresee the ultimate coming I
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 matter is first collected, it will be
intensely hot from the destruction of motion in
the several suns and systems Of suns they
come together. The heat will be redated out,
ward into the universe, and the one mass of mat
ter be gradually cooled. During the cooling
there will be the same play and mutual inter,
change OF heat, light, electricity, magnetism,
and other imponderabe forces that are now
upon this earth. As the cooling proceeds, the
action of these forces will diminish when 977
degrees are reached, light will cease and dark
ness will FIJI the universe. As each vibration of
heat leaves the material mass it will expand Ouu
ward at the rate Of 1872, 600 miles per second in
all directions in the form of a swift-swelling,
hollow globe. When the temperature of abso
lutte cold is reached (403-2 degrees) the last vi
bratiun of beat will leave the mass of matter,
and will expand outward through all inhnity OF
space and time.
Supposing, however, the ethereal fluid which
fills the visible portion of the universe is limited
in extent. SO that the last vibration of heat will
reach its boundaries and cease, what then be-
comes of the force of the universe and of the
doctrine of the cOFerson of force 2-ScieHtifc
American.