The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-10
INDIANA STATE SENTINEL TUESDAY MARCH TO- ls74

appeared with all the glory of the large
meteors, with a great number of minute
ones. Tat shower came from the foot of
Andromeda, or the exact path the comet
would have followed if it had struck the
earth. Then came in a curious feature.
IL was suggested that since this meteor
shower had struck the earth, why should
not the astronomers on the other side
OF the earth look out for them or the
comet there? 1t was said that it was
Biela's comet which had struck the earth.
IL touched the earth on November o. The
comet was looked out for near the shoulder
OF the Centaur. A nebulous object was seen
and identified. The next morning il was
seen again and 1t had shifted That was not
the end OF the matter. Astronomers made
calculation to see if the meteor path ac-
corded With expectations but found il did
not; they were tar behind-many weeks be-
hind: So 1t seemed shown that there were
streaks OF meteors travelling from the direc-
ton OF the comets course. These are few
facts that show that meteors are associated
with comets. More than hundred meteor
streams are encountered by the earth with
in year. 1t has been discovered by Profess
sor Newton that this earth encounters about
400,OOO,OOO meteors every year. We have
then very striking feature in the economy
OF our solar system. The meteors are fol-
lowingthe course of the comets. In fact,
there is every reason to believe that there is
so great gathering of cometary matter fol-
lowing these meteor tracks, that when we
see the sun in an eclipse we should see a
gathering there. as we do see in the corona.
THE COMETS COMING,
from interstellar space have some of them
taken eight millions of years to make their
journey, and we have no reason to think
that it is their first visit to our solar system.
They seem to be floating from sun to sun.
-,
sun and the whole of the solar system have
undergone changes. DOnati's comet is an
| illustration of one of those long periods. The
fact must be remembered, that while show
ers Of meteors are unusual phenomena, me-
teorites fab every day and every hour of the
day. Our earth is absolutely growing by
these falls. The time is actually past when
the earth is growing yisibly, but yet inn
mense amounts of matter are added to it in
this way. And not only the earth, but the
moon and Mercury, and we may say all the
planets are growing under this meteroic
downfall. How are we protected from this
downfall with 100000, 900 of them every
day? The rate at which they arrive
is very much more rapid than that
of bullet. If there was no protection
we should certainly be destroyed. Thai
protection is the atmosphere. When 6
meteor encounters the atmosphere its We
locity is first reduced and then it is con
and fall in the shape OF a vaporous dust. Or
the tops of mountains the material of thes'
meteors has been found.
IA diagram of the appearance of the sum-
corona was shown.] 1t would appear her
| as if there was an aggregation in the sun
} neighborhood of the matter thrown off from
the sun with the aggregated gathering of thu
, meteoric masses. These appearances o
changes taking place, not merely in tn
, present but in all past time, teach us tn
, quality of the truth of those words of tn
Psalmist, "The heavens declare the glory o
God" They seem to have a real meaning
1.-THE heavens declare the glory of God; ant
the armament showeth his handiwork. Da,
= unto day uttereth speech, and night unit
} night showeth knowledge. There is n
speech nor language but their voices ar
heard among Them"
By the terms offs new law, Kansas state
city and township officers will hereafter pa
) for their railroad tickets like other men, o
he subject to a fine.