Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-02-12
Star-Deptl Wonders.
a Lecture BY Mr. Richard A. Proc
tor.

scope for display OF careful research
into the mysteries of the heavens. 1t
would be difficult to select theme bet
ter fitted to rivet the attention of an
intelligent audience than the question
of the infnity of space in which re-
yolve the systems Of worlds whose
faint CLEANS come to US from the illim-
liable distance worlds so remote that
human intelligence fails to grasp even
faint idea of their remoteness. The
astronomers tell US how many millions
of miles these bodies are removed from
our globe, but the intellect fails to COM
prehend the full meaning of these cal
culations. But the vastness and infn-
ity of the heavenly system must ever
give it an absorbing interest in the
minds of thinking men, and the obser-
vations Of the laws that guide the mo-
ton of the star systems must ever ex-
ercise most elevating influence on the
human mind by impressing on it the
grandeur and infinite power of the
Creator
The lecturer first considered the
question Of the seeming calm of the
stat depths compared with the real
vastness of the movements taking place
in them. He opened by recalling to the
minds of the audience the gradual
change of the earth's rotation due to
the influence Of the tidal wave but
so slight is the effect of this disturb
ing cause that 1900 years must elapse
before loss equal to three minutes Of
terrestrial time will result. Millions
of years must, therefore, elapse before
any perceptible change take, place from
this cause. The stellar sphere is car
ried through space from east to west.
Other motions are perceptible, but they
are only apparent. They are due to
the earth's gyrating like a gigantic top,
which causes an apparent motion in
the heavens. The quietude Of the
stars is only apparent; for, though
they are relatively fixed, they rush in
a tumult through space, and though
the heavens seem at rest they are the
scene of most stupendous activity.
Among the multitude of stars visible
the distance Of some nine G.. ten only
is approximately known, aid indeed
the distance of one onlyfe - ~-~ said to
be satisfactorily determined, although
the problem is of the deepest interest.
The change Of one star in the Centaur
has been noticed, and in order to show
the delicacy of the observation and It's
difficulty the lecturer remarked that
this star was removed from our earth
30, 600 times farther than the sun.
In order to indicate the change Of po-
sition it would be necessary to imagine
the minute hand of watch marking
the two-hundredth part Of a second,
and the deviation Of the line drawn to
the star to mark its change Of position
would be less. Nor is there any way
Of measuring the discs of the stars, as
the best telescopes fail to show them
except as points of light in space.
Their distance is measured by light.
The star in the Centaur is 210,0
times farther off than the sun; it
shines three times as brightly and is
five times the suns volume But
there is another star in the space known
as the king Of stars. 1t is four times
as bright as the star in Centaur and
five times as far away.
These facts would seem to point to
the existence of higher order of stars
than our planets, 1t was conjectured
that these bodies might have size and
light, but not mass, and were therefore
unable to exercise control in the sys-
TENS or influence other bodies But
spectrcscopic analyses allow us to as
certain in most precise manner that
these stars are, like our sun, glowing
masses Of matter shining through
surrounding envelope Of vapor. The
value of the spectroscopic analysis is
due to it's extreme delicacy, and the
strictly scientific and unvarying results
which it gives in recording the
presence of certain elements in the
planets. In order to make this clear
to the audience spectrums Of the sun
and of the variable stars, and the sun
spots on the stars were exhibited, so as
to make clear the mode in which the
presence Of certain matters was made
evident on the different heavenly bod
les. There were the lines Oh the spec
trum indicating the presence of metals
common to the earth. These expert
ments were as certain as if the observ-
er carried into his laboratory piece
of the star and subjected it to chemi-
cal examination. The spotted stars
were variable and resembled our sun.
The spectroscope proved the existence
in them of metals and other matter in
certain form. The question whether
color is inherent in the colored stars or
due to the cutting off of some color by
the action of an atmosphere or envel-
ope is full of interest. Great differ
ence is shown in the spectrums of these
stars-blue prevailing in some, orange,
red and yellow in others. 1t Is now
generally accepted that color is not in
herent in these bodies, but is due to
the action of their envelopes on the
light passing through.
A beautiful diagram of stellar
group, supposed to be cluster of suns
was exhibited by Mr.. Proctor. present
ing to the minds eye the vision of