Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-27
Motions the stars.

We published some time ago the dis
covery made by Dr. Higgins, by meanl
OF the spectroscope, that the star Sirius
was receding from the earth at the rate
of about twenty miles per second. In
order that he might extend his method
to other stars, the Royal Society of Lon
| don placed at his disposal telescope Of
i fifteen inches aperture, together with all
the spectroscopic appliances required
for the delicate work. The apparatus
has only been in use few months, but
already, says the London Spectator, DIR.
Higgins has obtained the most wonder
full news from the stars with its aid. He
finds that many of the stars are travel
ing far more swiftly than had been sup
posed. Arcturus, for example, is travel
Ting towards us at the rate of fifty miles
per second, and as his thwart-motion is
| fully as great (for this stars distance
has been estimated) the actual velocity
with which he is speeding through space
cannot be less than seventy miles
per second. Other stars are NOV.
ing with corresponding velocities.
But amid the motions thus de-
tected DR.. Higgins has traced
the signs Of law. FIRST, he can trace the
tendency of the stars in one part of the
heavens TO approach the earth, while the
stars in the opposite part of the heavens
are receding from us; and the stars which
are approaching lie on that side of the
heavens toward which Herschel, long
since, taught us that the sun is travelling
But there are stars not obeying this
simple law; and among them DIR. Hug
gins recognizes instances of that com.
munity of motion to which a modern
student of the stars has given the name
of star-drift. It happens, indeed, that
one Of the most remarkable of these in
stances relates 70 the five well-knoWn
stars, which had been particularly pointed
to as forming drifting set Il had been
asserted, more than two years ago, that
certain five stars of the Plow, or Charles
Wain-the star known TO the astronom-
ers as Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon
and Zeta of the Great Bear - are
drifting bodily through space. The
announcement seemed very dar-
ing, yet its author (trusting in
the mathematical analysis of the evil
dence) expressed unquestioning conf
deuce. He asserted, moreover, that
whenever DR.. Higgins applied the new
method of research, he would find that |
those Eve stars are all approaching or
receding from the earth, and at the same
rate. The result has justified his cont
dence in his theory asin DR.. Higgins
mastery of the new method. Those five
stars are found 10 be receding rom the
earth at the rate Of thirty miles per sec
ond. The result at once illustrates the
nature Of DR.. Huggiu's dis.
coveries, and affords promise Of discov-
cries even more interesting. The the
ories hitherto accepted respecting the
Of the steller universe have
been tried against the views reesntly
with a result decidedly in
favor Of the latter. The matter viii
not rest here. and probably before many
years have passed, there will be rsOOg-
nized in the star depths q variety of
and a conplexity Of ST
staTtlingly contrasted with
the general uniformity Of structure rec
Ognized in the teachings at present ac-
cepted. !