The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-07
OTHER SUNS THAN OURS.

Another Interesting Lecture by Richard
A. Proctor--s;ome stars Probably Cxpa-
bile Of Supporting Life.
MI. Richard A. Proctor, the distinguished Eng
lish astronomer delivered yesterday afternoon
lecture At Association Hall. His subjeet was
.'Other Suus Than Ours" and the lecturer demon
stratcd from all the standponts OF science and
with his mastery SKIN how lie could possibly
exist In other worlds The han was tolcrabiy well
filled with fashionable aud appreciativc audience,
composed for the greater part OF ladies.
III his last lecture. he said, dwelt on the pus-
sibilities OF lie III other worlds. In this lecture ne
would speak OF the conditions under which life
might exist in the stars. They had and not
false analogies in science TO deal with Brewster,
when claiming that AL the other orbs were IN
habited, showed how every space Of The earth
was utilized. The study OF the future OF the
earth, however, showed tnat there would be a
time when Lille would be extinct, and It
seemed to him that most Of the orbs would only
be Inhabited and capable OF supporting life during
limited periods.
The room was then completely darKened, and
during the remainder oil the lecture the audience
WRAPPED IN IxPENETRABLE GLOON.
Stereoscopc views thrown on the on the
platform followed each other IN quick SUCCESSION,
and the speaker kept up a running comment on
mind and heart OF the spectator with sense OF
the unutterable, inconceivabe grandeur and den-
mite subiinity oil the stellar system OF the other
suns than ours.r In displaying the ever.changing
glories or the solar corona Professor Proctor re-
terred at length TO the various theories showing
the exhaustion OF the supply OF light from the sun.
There no doubt that all the wondrous pro-
cesses OF the SUMS power must come to an emo, AZ
loss OF energy was quite percepriole Pictures Of
rhe solar spots were then thrown on the screen.
In regard To
THE SUPPLY OF LIGHT
from the sum- the lecturer gave some very inter.
esting statements tending 10 demonstrate
enormous waste OF light in the universe. Out tins
supply only one part III 2So 900 received by
the pauets, and all the residue wasred--or, it
least, appeared TO be wasted. AS fur as human
ken could reach IL is, OF course, believed that only
the hight received by the earth was useful. There
are no means OF Judging whether the waste WIS
really as great as 1t seemed 10 be, but there APP
pearcd evidence III the whole universe oil just
such enormous waste. The lecturer went on 70
explain the composition OF the SUM- which, he sasa
consisted OF liquid matter-at least, It's great GEN.
tra mass.
Views OF the spectrum OF stars were then dis
played on the screen, showing their marvellous
variety and great similarity 10 solar bodics The
lines indicating hydrogen were in various density,
and IL ouhd that in ali other conditions essen-
tal 80 the support oi lie there was very great va
rety in tile stars. some OF the stars, Professor
Proctor maiu tanned, could never he centres
SYSTEMS or WORLDS.
However. although any particular star might not
be centre OF systems oI worlds he t,iougnt that
them were certainly constituted Ter tho
support OF lie. WNat interested them most
not the question whether the stars could support
animal or vegetable lie. The great question was
whether the stars were peopled with reasoning
creatures, capable OF watching other heavenly
orbs Ike themselves. Al the life OF men was
shorter than that OF the vegetable or animal king
dom, The result OF Investigation would seem TO
argue for tue shortness OF the time during which
stars could support human lille. Coloreu stars
green, red. orange, blue &c--were then shown
the screen, anu then star clusters There, the
lecturer sad, the people would sky radiant
with lnnuineraole suns, Two three OF whlcn
would be
SUFFICIENT TO DIsrHL DAY.
Ihus they would be prevented from seeing the
m,riads VI suls which were visible TO the naatlr-
ants OF this earth and fully approaching the sub
hlnitv OF God's creation Professor Proctor lall
stress upon the TACT that IN every star cluster
there was quite much variety as Ia our own
stellar system.
rue milky way came next. The speaker ex-
planned II as being true stream OF stars Of
smaller and larger size intermlxed. He dcprc-
cated the theory OF the uniformity or these stars.
Thls doctrine was simple enough TO attract many
followers but iallacious nevertheless. They were
as di1erent as other stars The description OF the
around al! the heavens. and divided into two
parts.' Professor Proctor stgmatlzed ~ Wholly
incorrect. The TACT was that II did hot go "ar0unu
all the heavens and that the division was iar rom
complete Clusters OF stars were then SHOWN cor
responding 70 the icstoons in the milky WAY. ~
would require 5000 new stars on this hemisphere
before the sky would appear 70 be ~ richiy spfeao
with stars aa was the milky way. Next ioIio"eu y
map Of $4,000 stars as seen by sinai st1cu eete-
scope and the lecturer closed vito an apt quot1Hon
from the psalmist expressive OF tne ntueness Vi
man by the side OF such unfatholnaDle grandeur.
Professor Proctor's last lecture IN America VIII
he delivered Tins evening at ASSOCIATION HAL. sub
Jec.-r,sTAc Infnitics Around U.s."