The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-04
TIE MOTION OF The STAaS,
Interesting Astronomical Researches.
lEron tho Ehiladnluhia Ied1nr NV

from the Philadelphia Ledger, nov 81
The search for tho soluIions ot some problems In
astronomy that have thus lar elded research In
citing the minds OF many ASTRONOMERS What is the
centre Of the stellar universeS Around what por-
tons of these worlds OF light does the universe
to be reyolying2 These are questions which may
not be answered In our day. They are al present
matters VI conjecture and The ASTRONOMICAL cacu-
latons OF future years may illustrate and confirm
these conjectures or completely disspaie them and
leave men as ignorant as ever. Perhaps it Will here
after appear that the problems in astronomy which
we have far solved are Is nothing 10 those which
are yet TO be investigated. From imperfect informa-
tton obtained from the apparent motion oil the
heavenly bodies, Astronomers have advanced
the theory that the Gun, WITH its attend
ant system, IS moving through space, in
q particular direction at rate certainly not less
IMAM 10000. 600 miles per aunun. This change OF
position Of the sun gives TO the heavenly booles an
apparent motion which Is also complicated with the
real independent motions "a individual stars OF
5000 stars observed 10y BesSel AS hau perceptible
motion, aud Argelandcr more recently published "A
list OF 500 stars having proper motion. one Of
THESE stars, called Gil Cygni, has an annual motion
that would occasion ia 800 years q change OF place
IN the heavens equal 70 the moous apparent dame
Ter. Though this STAR Is the nearest Known 20 in
the northern heavens It's distance y ruch that is
real motion has actually been calculated NJ iorty
mixes III "a second or l,450 100000 miles per annum,
whist the space which Il really lfa.es annually T.
but tho fythouslndh part Of It's distance nom the
earth.
IL once was supposed that light and heat travelled
In straight line from the sun and stars to the earth;
but Il IL now KNOWN That light ira es ia series OF
waves, averaging IN length put tne hly-Ghoussnatn
part OF men and at the velocity OF 10000 miles In
! second. The variety OF length IN these waves Is
the cause OF tie VARIOUS coios IN nature, the ave.
rage length producing green, shorter ones violet and
longer ones red. For TINS reason, probably. green
ugnt Ia tie agreeable TO the eyes, because IL II
not made by waves Of elmer extreme. ny ooserVaI
lions on the causes and results OF these waves o.
lignt and b. the use oi improved spectr0scOpes IL
nas been found that Sirius, The brightest star In tho
heavens, ia travelling with velocity OF one
thousand millions oil miles year. should ~
become possible In like manner to determine
the motions OF oil the stars visible
10 the naked eye q fund Of knowledge would be OBJ
tained from which many new principles respecting
the stellar systen could be dedu0ed so for there
nor twenty stars in the whole heavens whose dis
anccs have been estimated IN any way, spu not ten
INC distance OF which has bean satisfactorily deter
mined. so enormous are these distances that the
best instruments will scarcely show any change OF
position by which the distance can be calculated.
law anccting the general system OF stellar motlona
has been guessed NJ and many eminent astronomers
believe it to 10 supported by satisfactory evidence.
II the same method which has been employed In The
calculations OF the motions OF sirius should be ex-
tended to any large number OF tse liked Stars and
their various motions be discovered would prom
ise great advance In our Astronomical know edge.
The consultations which now seem " be
scattered, without diacernhe law, over the
vault OF heaven may be forced 70 reveal 70 M their
secrets and we may hereafter discover the law "
organization which binds them into system, the
paths along which they moved before they reached
are to travel for raapy future ages Nos IN our day,
nor perhaps In many generations, wul the whole
truth about the stellar Astem appear, and long pro-
cesses OF patient labor and observation Tic before the
astronomer. IL n unworthy al Philosophers TO let
tne grand phenomena q nature glide by wnnotccd,
because they are not impressed and dsxzcd BY any
in The Milky way u to have ~ piace determined
aud its motions calculated, would be extravagant,
but powerful telescopes and refined instruments,
united with the valuable exeraoDs Of scientific meD,
VIII teach us much OF what Ia going on Ia the
heavens where AZ present tie inaaatnation ~ with.
out guide