New-York tribune., 1873-04-15

The majority of the fixed stars, IT may fairiy oe
concluded are really other SUNS Hence u Is prooa-
BILE that many of them are eneircled oy PLANETS III
all stages of development. Thousands Oh tnese
planets must az this moment exist IN conuiions sl
lar 10 those of earth, and form the sDodes Oh OF
canized and intelligent life 1t is certain that they
are all made of the same substances az our rocks
and water and air; organization must be adapted to
the same physical laws; and intelligence there must
he the same as intelligence here.
Turning now to another group of data, the phe
nomena of the planetary surfaces our attention is
first directed to the moon which is sufficiently
to afford a fruitful subject of telescope study.
Neither water nor atmosphere is found on that body
Hence the moon is not inhabited. Its surface is
diversified by mountains and valleys which are visi-
bic even TO the naked eye. With the aid of astro-
nomical instruments we learn that it is ntersected
by deep dark gorges which look less like valleys than
immense fssures formed in the body by a shTinkage
of its mass. Some of the mountains assume the
forms of volcanic Vast crater-like openings
yawn in their SUBMITS. Occasional plains spread
ont in the midst Of the rugged relief OF the lunar
surface They are of limited extent, and though
formerly supposed to be water probably nothing
more than areas underlad by sedimentary rocks.
They are then evidences at least to limited extent
of the former presence of water. Other clrcum-
stances indicate the action of an atmosphere. The
disappearance of water and air upon the moon Is
due TO absorption by the rocks, in the successive
stages of refrigeration. The moon is fossil world
1t was the seat of the intense activities which
prevail on the surface of our EARTH but is now an
| ancient cinder suspended in the heavens.
| Next to the moon, Mars is the planet whose sur
face is most clearly revealed by the telescope. We
have here indications Of both seas and atmosphere
The winding shores of vast continents, with deep
bays and long drawn inlets. show arrangement OF
| land and water similar to that of the earth. The
| climatic signs are in keeping with the astronomical
relations of the planet. The four seasons follow
| each other in regular succession. Eternal winter
prevails at the poles. shining cap of snow marks
I'll polar regions This is seen to advance toward
the temperate zones, and retreat. with the vlclss-
tudcs of the seasons. No evidences of vegetation
have been detected. There are reasons which favor
the belief that this planet has passed the habtable
| stage.
The present state of the solar system is then liv-
ing picture of the history of single planet. 1t car
ries thought back through series of changes into
the lapse of a past eternity, and onward into the
| measureess depths Of the future cOnferring upon
human intelligence a sort of exemption from the
! limitations of time.
But third class of facts illustrating the history
of matter is revealed by the discoveries of the
| spectrOscope. This instrument has given deeper
insight into the constitution of the universe than
| the boldest imagination had dared to anticipate.
Selling upon slender ray of light it subjects it to
peculiar analysis, aud translates the impressions
that have been left upon it by the experience OF its
past history il puts the solar ray upon the rack,
and extorts a full confession of the secrets OF It's
! origin and its flight through space. The confession
is written in lines of light and darkness upon
u -. l.,n L. 4Tnn nnl n
wonderful manipulations across the abysmal
! depths of the universe.
We learn from the spectrum the existence of lunin-
ous solid or liquid body in the sun, shining through
/ gaseous vapors. Hence infer that the nucleus
/ of the sun is q molten globe which shines through
one or more v8porous envelopes. Uniting the services
of the telescope with those of the specroscOpe, we
conclude that the present constitution of the sun is
/ central liquid intensely luminous nucleus, with
non-lumnous zone charged with mineral emana-
tions-a photosphere, visible ire-mist-a narrow
zone of intensely bright matter Whose existence is
not yet fully cOnfrmed),- rose-red chrome
sphere in which exist the solar prominences, rising
sometimes a hundred thousand miles above the
general surface and, as is shown by the spectre
scope consisting of glowing hydrogen, with small
admixture of sodium, magnesium barium. II not
other elements,-the outer chromosphere, or inner
corona-and the outer radiated corona, streaming
ont one OF two millions of miles from the photo
sphere The structure of the sun thus exhibits an
incandescent mist OF vapor, such as the nebular
theory requires and which fully illustrates the sup
posed priInordial condition Of the planets.
The sum- moreover, is found by the speetrOscope 10
contain more than a dozen of the chemical elements
which make up the substance of the earth. Sodium,
iron manganese calcium, and hydrogen figure largely
! in the inventory. Now sodium is the basis of COM
mon salt beside being generally diffused among the
rocks Iron and manganese are almost universal IN
the crust of the earth. Calcium is the basis of all
limestones as well as an abundant constituent of
other rocks Hydrogen forms one-eighth of all the
water of the world, beside entering into the const
tuition of coal petroleum. asphalt and other mineral
products All this is as it should be, if the is
the mother of all the planets The earth is bat
specimen of cOsmical matter, which exemplifes the
constitution Of the masses removed from actual in
spection by impossible intervals of space Clusters
of stars and nebula revealed to science by the
disclosures Of the spectroscope.
Ii thus appears that the spcctrOscOpc study iof
cosmcal matter beyond the limits of the solar sys-
TEN is strictly complementary the telescope study
| of the bodies belonging II system. We now
know enough of the phases Of matterin the different
provinces of space TO feel certain that they repre-
sent progressive stages of natural evolution.
Whether seen in nebua, star, sun, or planetlt is
phase in q common history
These views produce upon tue mind profound
impression Of the unity Of the universe, both in Its
| expansion in space, and its evolution in history.
| We perceive the identity of the government which
controls natural events upOn our planet and in de-
parments of space so remote as to bafileimagina-
ton in the attempt to comprehend their distances.
Whatever attributes manifested ia the ordina-
ton OF terrestrial affairs also illustrated in the
! phenomena which We trace TO the utmost verge of
H. EIo nivorxo ard IN tho reuoteet commence.