The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-08

| AhS hSAV nov oeoA WI obO1Aul SouAd
ti0n) appeared in the regions of the
heavens between Cepheus and Cassiopeia
three times, A. D. 945, 1864, 1872, and is
expected to be seen on fire again before
long. This star remained burning at its
last appearance for sixteen months. 1t
appeared larger than Jupiter and brighter
than Sirius 1t did not attain this luStre
gradually, but shone forth at once in its
full size and brightness as if it had been
of instant creation. In 1856 Fabricius OBJ
served new star in the neck Of the
"Whale" constellation, and in September,
1904, new one was discovered In Ophln-
chus. In 1910 new star appeared in the
constellation Cygnus, remaing visible for
nearly two years. In l849 another was
seen which has continued in existence since
its apparent creation, By the aid Of the
elespectroscope-an instrument combining
the telescope and the spectroscope-it was
found that the increase in the stars light,
rendering the star visible, was due to the
abnormal heat of the hydrogen surround
ing that remote sun. But it could not be
so easily decided whether this hydrogen
was aglow with the heat of the star or
whether absolute combustion was in pro-
cess.
In other words, was it as red-hot piece
of iron or like a red-hot coal ? These star
conaagrations, it is believed, are caused
by contact with other heavenly bodies
meteoric flights travelling on eccentric
paths, or those in attendance Of the comets
The meteors attendant on comet continue
to follow in its path years after the comet
has disappeared. The tail Of the comet of
1913 must actually have grazed our sun.
Newton's comet nearly approached it.
At any time we might be visited by
comet mighter than either, travelling on
an orbit intersecting the suns surface, fol-
lowed by flights of meteoric masses enor-
nous in size and many in number, which,
falling upon the sun, would excite his
whole frame to degree of heat far exceed
ing what he now emits. We have evidence
of the tremendous heat to which the suns
surface wonld be excited in such a case.
In 1859 two meteoric masses came into con-
tact with the sun. The downfall of these
two bodies only affected the whole frame
of the earth at the very time when the sun
had been thus disturbed. Vivid auroras
were seen where they had never been seen
before, accompanied by electromagnetic
disturbances all over the world. In many
places the telegraph struck work, the sig
nal-men received severe shocks, and at
Boston fame of fire followed the pen of
Bain's electric telegraph, which writes the
message upon chemically prepared paper.
This was the effect of two meteors. The
effect of comet, bearing in its flight
many millions of meteoric masses falling
upon the sun-should that take place-can
be understood.
Our sun, seen from some remote star
whence ordinarily he is visible, would
shine out as new sun for few days,
while all things living on our earth and
whatever other members of the solar sys-
ten 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 eun would
act as veil, and we should be instantly
destroyed without knowing anything about
it. If it fell in November or 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 no 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,
vet during the last 1900 years less than
twenty such catastrophes have been record
ed. Mr.. Proctor, moreover, reasSures US
in ano other way. He says, in effect, that
all but one OF these confagratiOns have ap-
peared in the zone of the Milky Way, and
that one in a region connected with the
Milky Way by wel-marked stream of
stars; that the process Of development is
still going on in that region; but that if
there be among thee comets travelling inregu-
lar attendance upon the sun one whose orbit
intersects the suns globe, it must have
struck before the era Of man, and that in
our solar system we may fairly believe
that all comets of the destructive sort have
been eliminated, and that for many ages
still to come the sun will continue to dis
charge his duties as FIRE, light and life Of
the solar system