Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-12-09
How long viii the Sun last.
Pro1 essor CD. Youaa1l Giyes HIS
pIeaos on the Future of the
7l} - >Untverse. "a

| <C7IfC4/SS. 90
| How is the heat of the sun rrain.
tanned :! How long has it LASTED
already ? How long will it con-
tinue2 Are there any. signs of in
crease or Of dimihntion 2 After
adlrmlng that, in the present state
of science, only somewhat vague
and unsatisfactory replies are pos
sible. Professor Young holds tha.
SO far as observation goes, we can
only say tfsat the ontpourlng of the
solar hear, amazing as it, appears
to have gone on unchanged is
through ali the centuries IF human
history. The author thinks that
there is some truth In each of the
two theories winch have been pro-
posed to actnurt fer the suns fire.
As to tie first, .he impact OF
of metaoric matter, it is quite cer-
tain that solar heat is thus pro
duced but the question is whether
the supply Of mcteoric matter is
sufficient TO account for any great
proportion of the whole. After
giving Sir William Thompson's CAL
cr,latron of the amount of heat
which would be produced by each
of the planets falling into the sun
from lis present orbit, by which it
appears that Jupiter would m,in-
tain the suns present expenditure
Of energy for 32,25I years, and
Mercury for six years and 2l9 days,
and that the collapse of all the
planets npon the sun would generate
sufficient heat to maintain its sup
ply for neariy 10000 years and
estimating that matter cqua: to only
about one-hundrcdth part of the
mass OF the earth. falling annually
upon the solar surface, would uain-
tain its radiation indefinitely. Prof.
Young thinks it inproba Die, from
astronomical reasons, that any such
quantity Of matter can be supposed
10 reach the sun. So large a
quantity of matter would necessi-
tate a vastly greater quantity cir
culating around the sun, between
1t and the planet Mercury. But if
there were near the sun meteoric
matter cqnallirg fer example, the
mass of lhe earth, it ought to pro-
dnce an observable effect Oh the
motions OF Mercury, and no sucl
effect has yet been detected.
Astrono mers, therefore, failing
to find full explanation of the
canse of solar energy in this hy-
pothesis, have adopted second one,
wh:cl, is, that the suns diameter is
slowly contracting, and that the
gaseous mass is gradually iiqacty-
ing and becoming solid. Tnc con-
ciusiou is drawn, that, if this theory
be correct. there must come Il time
when there will be no solar heat, rs
there has also betna time when it
began. How far forward is the
end, how far back kwaed the begin
ming? Nccconb is authority for
the statement that, with iis present
radiatiun, the sun will shrink to
halt its present diameter in about
five million years. Reduced to this
size, anG eight times as dense as
Low, it would cease to be MANLY
gaseous, and its temperature would
begin to fall. Hence, Newcont
as>igi.s as the term during the sur
eau supply heat enough to euppor
life on the the earth, as we know
lite, Ieriod of ten million years.
The writer somewhat IN ore con
tidrntly casts his eye backward, ant
concludes that the sun cannot hav,
been emitting heat at the presen
rate for more than eighteen mil
IN wears it its heat had beel
granted in the manner described
LII the sun has contracted from
diameter even many times large
than that OF Nepture's orbit to i,
present dimensions, is l.robabl
! trne in the main, Eve are incxor
ably shut up to the conclusion thu
the total lite ot the solur systen
from its death, is included in som
such space OF time as thirty mi
: lions of years mo reasonable IL
lowaHce for the fall OF meteor
: natter," &c, ssconld raise it
" sixty millions" The possibility
collision with wandering stars, ar
i suggestion Of wa,s AS yet unco
Il e. lived of for restoring wasted enc
Il gy are followed by the statene
: that '.the present order OF thin
d appears tn be limited in either q
IS rsctiun blythe terminal eatastroph
to which are yelled i'm elouds ae y