The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-01-18
SOLAR COMBUSTION.


which our own sun, and we along with
l. would be exposed. There are some
astronomical subjects of inquiry which,
though they relate to bodies inconceiv-
ably remote, concern US inhabitants OF
earth very nearly. It is, for instance,
question of considerable interest to US
whether the evidence we have about the
sun suggests or not the probability that
that orb-the fire, light, ana life of our
system-is gradually parting with its en-
ergies, in so far that our descendants
will be less thoroughly warmed and
lighted than we are ourselves. 1t is
question of interest again whether there
is any truth in such & theory as was
once thrown out Ito the amazement OF
astronomers be it marked) by Sir ".
Thompson, that the fragments of des-
troyed planets must be the vehicles
whereby the seeds of life are carried to
new worlds, and that as orr earth, Wis
tied in remote ages by such fragments.
was thus supplied with the germs OF
that life which is now so abundant on
her surface. so she is i'll her turn under
going destruction, will be sent IN frag-
meuts through space, scattering about
the germs of life for the benefit of other
worlds as yet unpeopied. Another
question of very great interest was that
started by Sir Isaac Newton, in the well
known suggestion that should q comet
fall upon the sun there would be ire
mendous outburst Of solar heat, where
NV TITS earth and all the other worlds
which circle around the sun could be
destroyed, or, at least. all life caused to
perish from their surface. This idea
las not, indeed, Of late received much
favor, because astronomers, noting the
small effects produced by comets even
upon the inferior members OF the solar
system, such as the moons of Jupiter,
have come to regard comets as bodies of
very little weight, whose material there
fore, falling upon the SIM could pro-
duce but insignificant fires. Moreover,
we have learned to consider the proba-
lyiiity OF tie downfall of comet upon
the sun es exceedingly small We
know that among those whose paths
have been properly determined during
the ,as5 few years, only two have made
ve1y near approach 70 tle gun-
though, b q strange coiaeilence, one
OF these vl5 t!.s l..;cs4 syGr dealt With on
the Na.Yt3i,iei pr;i.eipi,:., x, lew
ton own c,1a.t q tie year 1879. That
o.. approached The san within less thai,
"a sixtT. oE ais diameter, and its very
D;:c!ers nt:at hays swept lie SUBMITS
Of Il. red a,s,ne5 which as ROY known
- cxis: : r.3.s...i Tie san "a sse. g:.e
other vas II ~, t IN 1873. which oa
tha 27tI OF FeLrr. tat scar 'Tss
within ai,.,G.t So, COS s.liles suns
surface; - s::as the Lglk IF its coma or
hair must have swept oyer the sun and
the outermost part Of its nucleus must
Tot only have met the solar flames, but
even have reached the low lying bed of
fame--see during tue solar ecIpses,
and called the sierra. Still, these two
comets only among all those Of the last
two hundred years. have made a very
near approach to the sun, and, as no
mischief followed, astronomers are en-
couraged in the belief that whatever
danger we may have to fear from chan
ges III our suns condition, comets are
scarcely to be regarded as the probable
cause of such danger.
f'But the news just received from the
star-depths concerns US more nearly.
It tells as Of sun, doubtless in general
respects like cur own, which has met
with some great catastrophe, whose
cause we cannot at present determine,
but whose real nature is uGmistakabie.
Our sun Is one among hundreds of mil
lions, each Of which is probably, like it,
the centre of a scheme OF circling worlds.
Each sun IS rushing along through space
with its trains OF worlds, each bearing,
perhaps, Ike our earth, it's living freight,
or, more probably, each, at some time
or other of It's existence, becoming hab-
liable for longer or shorter period
Thus the suns may be compared to en-
gines, each drawing along its we'll
freighted train. Accidents among these
celestial engines seem, fortunately, to lie
rare. 4 few among tie suns appear
suddenly Chat is IN the course OF few
hundred years, which in cesiest;al ciro-
nometry amounts &c mere instant,} to
have lost q large part OF their energy, q;
though the supply OF fuel Lad somehow
run short. hishaDs of that kind have
not attracted mach attention, though
manifestiy it would he II serious matter
If cur own sun were 20 lose three fourtl.s
Of its heat, as hes happened with The
middle star CT the piow, or ninety
hnndredths, as has happened with tie
once blazing, bat bow scarcely visible.
orb, called Els, IL the keel Of The star
ship Arg9. But when We hear Of a,l &C
cident OF the contrary kinda sGGl:sl.iv
blazing out vijh mere than hundred
times its usual sl'IeE1or: celestial en-
CINE whose energies have been over
wrought, SO thns a sudden explosion has
taken place, and Inc fires. meant TO
work steadily for tie train, have bIazsd
forth to It's desjruction-we are impress
ed with the thonght that tbs may poss
IDLY one day happen with our own sun.
The circumstances are Very curious. ar.l
though they do not show clearly wl..s.,,