Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-13
GREAT THEORY IN DANGER.

back into an earlier pzriod than even the
history given by the inspired volume. IL
be gins untold ages before creation; when the
earth was not only formless and voio, on.
bad no separate entity, being part OF VAST
and shapeless concourse OF atoms that nad
been scattered through space. According 10
this hypothesis, the original neoula IRON
which the solar sy stem was formed oy con
densation, may have had, and PROBABLY ala
have, a diameter comparable only with the
Uncomfortable distances from us of the fixed
stars. The elder Herschel has the credit OF
This magnificent theory: to which yh ne was LED
place subjected it to the rigorous analysis OF
mathematics. and fully sustained il. One of
our most eminent American mathemsti-
clans, some years ago, went CAREFUL y through
Laplace's computations, and afterward said
to friend that while the theory answered
the conditions of the problem, II was by no
means 10 be regarded as the only possible
solution. Nevertheless, IL has gained a very
wide acceptance, and has been used in par
tial support OF other theories, such as that of
Since it was first put forth, the nebular
hypothesis has passed through a crisis Juat
threatened its overthrow. 1t had. from the
first, to encounter the prejudice OF ancient
beliefs, but 1t steadily won it's way among
astronomers. But when the great telescope
of Lord Rose was turned toward many of
the Int bulG which had been classed as cir
receivable" that instrument separated them
into star clusters; and the opinion gained
ground that, If sufficient optical power could
be applied, all the nebul9 could thus be
ments IN teles copes, that opinion was not
justified. Then came the spectrOscope. with
its astonishing train of discoveries; Tnese,
so to speak, set the netular hypothesis on
its legs again. The light of the unre olved
star mists was analyze1, and it was foInd
10 consist OF glowing gases, such as form q
large component in the outer atmosphere of
the sun. ON the other hand, these nebulOus
masses exhibited no metallic or mineral
substances in state of incandescence, as do
the sun and the fixed stars. The inference,
OF course, was that the mineral cOlstitu-
ents had not been raised 10 the degree of
heat necessary to give light, because the
mass was not sufficiently CONDENSED; that
We had before our ey es matter in process Of
being formed into suns with attendant plan
cts, but as yet primeval IRE mist in which
the gases alone were luminous.
But some of the astronomical discoveries
of the present year threaten the nebular
hypothesis quite as much as did The carrier
observations of LOrd Roses telescope, while
the recent testimony of the spectroscope
throws "a doubt over the differences that Were
so seTviceabe iii supporting the great theory.
To begin with, it has Away been accounted
one of the strongest points in the argum ent,
That all the members of the solar system
u owed in the same direction around the sun,
q, in the case OF satellites, around iheir
primaries; q direction which is also that OF
the rotation of the sun ard planets. The
chan ces against such uniformity be ng acct
dental, are so many 10 one, that the long
row CT figures which represents the proper
ton would be wearisOme to the eye. For
while, however, there was a doubt as to this
uniformity in respect To the satellites ot
Uranus. But closer observation showed that
those satellites, though rctrograde as to the
tciiptic, were direct as To- the equator. To
explain this, Ii ought &c be stated that their
orbit is SO far out of the usual plane OF the
planetary orbits as TO be nearly at right
angle thereto. Tie new difficulty is with the
satellite of Neptune. Professor Newcomb's
recent "a bles show that its motion is decidedly
retrograde, both as to equator and eclipttc.
The TACT Is not at all fatal to the nebular
hypothesis, but II is certainly not favorable.
The next of the recent objections iu the
order of time) is the strange aspect of the
new star in Cygnus, when latterly viewed
through the spectrOsccpe. When that star
was first observed several months ago, 1t
was exceedingly brilliant. It's spec rum was
like that of some of the fixed stars, and ii
was supposed to be one of them that had been
rapidly formed by the condensation of its
materials, causing IL suddenly TO blaze out
where all before had been darkness. Here,
then, was probably the quick formation OF a
sun from Q previously invisible nebule. But
the new star soon began TO lose its light; IL is
growing fainter, week by week. Now 1t can
be shown by calculation that If a star OF the
size OF cur sun were suddenly heated TO in
cancescence, IL would take several million
peared like one of the fixed stars when first
observed with the spectroscnpe, could scarce
ly have been one. AT present, when ii is fad
ing, It's IL hi again is examined. aud strange
10 say, il has entirely the appearance OF be-
ing planetary nebula. To meet the expec-
tatiOns of the friends of the great theory, this
and ended as fixed star; 1t has done pre-
cisely the reverse. True, Professor LOckyer
says, "the nebular hypothesis, in It's gran
deur and simplicity, remains untouched by
these observations" but II is not easy yet TO
bring the facts into line with the theory.
Last, and more fOrmi able III An the rest Of
these troublesome discoveries, come ProfeS-
sor Asaph Halls new pets, The satellites of
Mars, of which The inner one goes around
that planet In hours and 3S minutes, while
the planets own rotation on Its axis requires
m N hoT no f fx..n
testify, II the satellite was originally left out
In the cold while Mars was cooling and con-
tracing into shape, the speed OF thai little
moon, In its orbit, should have been less, rot
more, than that of the rotation of the interior
mass which ultimately became the planet.
Prof kirkwood says that something similar
Ssturn-the third ring, with which astronO-
N ers have only become acquainted in recent
years. 1t Is suggested that the extra speed
OF the Martial satellite may be explained by
supp Osing that, when IL was part OF nebu-
loUs ring, IL struck against some other pOr
tons OF the ring. or was struck by them, so
that 1t gained velocity at their expense. The
pieces that were thus knocked out OF time
would fall inward, perhs ps on the surface OF
Mars. Prof. kirkwOOd thinks that such a
process is taking place in Saturn's rings.
He adds these words "Unless some such ex-
planation as this can be given, the short
period OF the inner satellite will doubtless be
regarted as conclusive argument against
nebular hypothesis" Such words are the
more startling, since they come from a ma
thematician and astronomer who has done
good servite for the nebular theory, by show
ing among other things, that the distribu
ton OF the groups of asteroids is In strict
and remarkable accord with its require.
mtnts.-lN. Y. Tribune.
THE MAGNIFICENCE OF MoSCOw.-This
Is one of the richest and most beautiful
cities in the world. 1t seems espe cially SO as
you approach 1t in The distance. Standing on
elevated ground, II is seen from afar in every
direction. It's numerous tOwerS-every
church having several besides the steeples-
with hundreds OF domes and cupOla; either
gilded or painted green and spangled with
stars, together with many gardens and trees
fLteTmixed with the houses, give IL quite an
oriental appearance, and I'LL the Traveller
with wonder and admiration when IL first
breaks upon his view. The River MoSkva
flows at the base of the hill on which the
Kremlin is built. The KremIin is vast cit.
adel, or city within a city, enclosed by a wall
from twelve To sixteen feet thick, and from
thirty 10 fifty feet high, with many towers,
embellishments and beautiful gates. 1t con-
tains many magnificent churches, also the
Large Palace and Little Palace. We entered
with uncovered head, as every one is re-
quired to do, from the highest official to the
lowest serf, through the Gate of the Re
deemer, over which hangs picture of the
Saviour. i would Ike to tell yoa OF the ca
fheiYa.a and hrl xubi oiobS