Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-10-19
RECENT ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVER
IES.

LII. duSS1nS mas communicated to
the Royal Society series of results of
extreme interest, obtained by means of
the fine telescope placed at his disposal
by the Royal Society.
His work, according to the Msclan-
ics' Mdgizine, has been divided into two
main portions. First, he has been en-
gagged in comparing one of the bright
spectral lines of the gaseous nebuln with
the corresponding line in thespectrum of
nitrogen. This line, es seen in the lat
ter spectrum, is double. When using
his own 8-inch telescope, DR.. Higgins
was unable to determine whether the
nebula line was double or not. He
could not use sufficient dispersive pow
er. He has now obtained definite re-
suits on this point, so far at least as
the Orion nebulie is concerned. In the
spectrum of nitrogen, the components
of this double line are rather broad and
nebulous. In the spectrum of the
Orion nebula, there is one line, narrow
and well defined, which agrees in pos
ition with the less refrangible of the
nitrogen pair.
It is possible, however, DR.. Higgins
remarks, that this line in the spectrum
of the gaseous nebula is not due to
ni;rgenat all; or else, one line of nitro
gen fades out altogether.
The second series of results obtained
by DR.. Huggins is more definite and
important. 1t relates to the deter,ni-
nation of the stellar motions of recess
sion or approach.
DR.. Huggins had judged, when he
used his 8-inch telescope, that Sirius
is receding at the rate of about 25 miles
per second. He now finds, with a tel
cscope fifteen feet long, that the rate
of recession is samewhat less, lying
probably between Is and % miles per
second.
He has now been able to extend this
method to several other stars. He
finds evidence in favor of general
tendency to recession in stars occupy
ing that part of the heavens from which
our sun is known to be travelling; while
on the opposite side of the heavens the
stars seem in general to be approach
ing. But the rates of recession and
approach accord very i'll with the usu-
ally adopted value of the solar proper
motion, and appear to support the the
ory, recently advanced, that the esti-
mates of the stellar distances, on which
that value has been based, are not trust
worthy. We know that the suns rate
of motion has been set at five or six
miles per second, and such a rate of
motion could only account for q general
excess of recession in stars lying in one
direction, and of approach in stars ly-
ing in the opposite, by about the same
amount. But DR.. Huggins finds mo-
tions of recession of from Is to 40
miles per second, and motions of ap-
proach amounting even to the enor-
nous rate of nearly so miles per second,
in the case of Arcturus. It follows
from this that Strives estimate of the
brighter stars is altogether too low.
But even more interesting than this
result, is DR.. Higgins recognition of
community of motion in certain sets
of stars.
1t was to precisely such community
of motion that Mr.. Proctor invited at
tention in the paper on star drift, read
before the Royal Society on January
20, 1870; and he expressed then, and
has repeatedly expressed, his convic-
ton that whenever DR.. Higgins ap-
piled to certain stars the spectroscopic
method of determining motions of re-
ccssion or approach, he would find that
they are either all receding or all ap.
preaching, and at the same rate.
This prediction has been fulfilled tc
the letter. DR.. Higgins finds that
these stars are all receding at the rate
of about 80 miles per second.
It is evident that DR.. Higgins
method of research promises results OF
exceeding interest and throwing new
light on the structure of the sidereal
universe. He has now placed beyond
question what Mr.. Proctor has long
maintained-the theory, namely, that
within the stellar system there exists
subordinate systems, surrounded by
regions relatively barren. These sys-
TENS of stars speed on their course,
possessing community of motion with
in the great star system, though within
these subordinate systems themselves
every variety of motion may subsist.
It is wonderful, indeed, to consider the
consequences which flow from this dis
covery. The whole aspect of the 81
dereal universe is charged by it. All
theories which have so long done SER
vice in our text books of astronomy go
by the board. We see that there is
a complexity of detail within the stellar
universe and variety of aggregation,
of structure, of motion, of independ-
ence, and finally, an exuberance of VI
tality, such as until the last two or
three years had not been recognized by
astronomers.
@ The question of woman's rights
has at last reached the Orkney Islands,
off the coast of Scotland. The claim
of women to hold office there has Great
ed dispute between the Parochial
Board and the BoalS( of Supervisors as