Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-04-19

on record observed by Hipparchus-
occurred 1000 years ago. It was seen
blazing in full daylight, showing that
it was many times brighter than Sirius,
the blazing dog-star. It was called a
new star, because it had ever been
invisible until its confagration made
its light temporarily visible.
The next new star Tor stellar con.
flagration) appeared in the region Of
the heavens between Cepheus and
Cassiopeia three times, A. D. 945, 1854
1872, and is expected to be seen on
fire again before long. The star re-
manned burning at its last appearance
for sixteen months. It appeared
larger than Jupiter and brighter than
Sirius. 1t did not attain this lustle
gradually, but shone forth at once in
its full size and brightness as if it had
been of instant creation. In 1896
Fabricus observed Il new star in the
neck of the "whale" constellation. and
in September, 1904, new one was
discovered in Ophiuchus. In 1870 a
new star appeared in the constellation
Of Cygnus, remaining visible for near
ly two years. In lS4S another was
seen, which has continued in existence
since its apparent creation. BY the
aid of the telespectroscope-an instru-
ment combining the telescope and the
spectroscope-it was found that the
increase in the stars light rendering
the star visible was due to the abn0r.
NAL heat Of the hydrogen surrounding
that remote sun. But it could not be
SO easily decided whether this hydro.
gen was aglow with the heat of the
star or whether absolute combustion
was in process. In other words, was
it as Il red lM piece of iron or like 4
red.hot coal! These star CONGREGATIONS,
tits BELIEVED, are caused by contact
with othrr heavenly bodies-meteo:ic
flights travelling on eccentric paths or
those in attendance of the comets.
The mtteOrs attendant on comet
continue to follow its path for years
after the comet has disappeared. The
tail Of the comet Of 1913 must actually
have grazed the sun NewtOn's comet
nearly approached it.
1t any time we might be visited by
Il comet mightier than either, travel.
ing on an orbit intersecting the suns
surface, followed by flights of meteor
ic masses enormous in size and many
in number, which, falling on the sun,
would excite his whole frame to a de.
gree Of heat far exceeding what he
now emits. We have evidence of the
tremendous heat to which the suns
surface would be excited in such a
case. In 1859 two metoric masses
came into contact with the sun. The
downfall of these two bodies only, af-
fected the whole frame of the earth at
the very time when the sun had been
thus disturbed. Vivid auroras were
seen where they never had been seen
before, accompanied by electro mag.
netic disturbances all over the world.
In many places the telegraph struck
work, the signal men received severe
shocks, and at Boston a flame of fire
followed the pen of Bain's electric TEL
egraph, which writes the message up.
on chemically-pre paper. This
was the effect :. of two meteors
The effect of comet. bearing in its
flight many millions of meteoric mass.
es falling upon the sun-should that
take place--can be understood. Our
sun seen from some remote star,
whence ordinarily it is invisible would
shine out as a new sun for a few days,
while all things living upon the earth,
and whatever other members of the
solar system that are the abode of
life would inevitably be destroyed.
If a comet came out of that part of
the constellation Taurus, arriving in
such time as to fall upon the sun in
May or June, the light of the sun would
act as a veil, and we should be instant.
ly destroyed without knowing any.
thing about it. fit fell in November OF
December we should see it for weeks,
and astronomers would be able to tell
us when it would fall upon the sun.
The disturbance upon the sun would
be temporary, but there would be nc
students of science left to record the
effects. The chances are largely against
such an accident. Our sun is one
among millions, any one of which would
become visible to the eye under such
an accident, yet during the last two
Thousand years less than twenty such
catastrophes have been recorded. MIR.
Proctor, moreover, treasures us in
another way. He says in effect tina,
all but one of these conflagrations have
appeared in the zone Of the Milky
Way, and that one in region connect
ed with the Milky Way by well-mark
ed stream of stars that the process OF
development is still going in that re-
gion, but that If there be among thu
comets travelling in regular attendance
upon the sun one whose orbit inter
sects the SUMS glote it must have
struck before the era of man, and that
in our solar system we may fairly be
lieve that all comets of the destruc
tive sort have been eliminated. and
that for many ages still to come The
sun will continue to discharge his du
ties as fire, light, and life of the solar
system.
Now. Make Your Own Diamonds.