Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-21
THE HEAyENS.
Facts OF Astronomical Interest.

Facts Of Astronomical Interest.
III his paper before the Star club, at the
meeting i'll Y. VI. &. i. hall last evening
Mr.. j. D.Pyott briefly reviewed the work OF
last winters course on the solar sy stem.
beginning at the earliest observations We
Will suppose ourselves entirely ignorant of
the body upon which We live and its rela-
tlons to others. Is it plane: Circum-
navigation answers that question. Is it
cylindrical? Measurement of a degree on
different parallels shows 4 regular decrease
from the equator toward the poles, and
the circular shadow Of the earth in all po-
sitions cast upon the moon in eclipses
proves the spherical form Is this globe
Manirestly something moves
either the earth or the celestial bodies
must revolve every "a hours on an axis
passing through the North Star. The ex-
cess Of equatorial diameter indicates the
aXial revolution. Centuries of observation
and thought were required to answer the
question of Orbital motion. but finally the
clumsy epicylcs We're replaced By sim
PIE, natural system with the sun for its
centre and the earth rs one of his planet
ary family. The inclination of the axis
explains the seasons. Measurement of
ares Of meridian gives us the earth's size
the diameter being in round numbers
5000 miles. Its weight is found by testing
the attraction cxcrted by ~he mass of
mountain upon suspended weight. It's
density is assumed as the unit of compari-
son with other bodies.
The central Sun, % millions of miles
from lis, 4 million and !, quarter times the
volume OF the earth, and one fourth tho
density, ,ra,;iatcs to all the planets an inilu-
cncc, combining light, heat and chemical
action, OF whose essential nature we know
nothing, but without which no form of
life known to us could exist. This con-
slant expenditure is maintained partly by
the heat evolved by mcteOric matter fall
ing upon the sun i'll immense quantities
and at inconccivablc velocities, but mainly
by contraction of tho Suns mass itself,
involving the assumption that the true
nuclear body of the Sun. is much smaller
than the phOtOsphere which is visible to
us. This photOsphcre is OF unknown cJn-
stitution, but is surrounded by Il complex
atmosphere containing several metals and
gases with which we are familiar; outside
this is an envelope Of glowing hydrogen,
and next is the corona, composed Of mat
ter which reflects solar light, and extend
ing in 4 more and more attenuatcd form
to distance of SO, 600, 900 miles, visible at
certain seasons in the zodiacal light. The
axial revolution of this immense body, and
also the liquid or gaseous condition OF the
photOsphere, arc shown by the spots OF
openings in the surface the equatorial
portion revolving in % days, the polar
regions in 90. We also find from these
spots that the inclination of the Suns axis
is To from perpendicular to the ccliptic.
Many of these facts have been obtained by
spectroscopic observations during eclipses
these are caused by the moon passing be-
tween earth and sun, and may be either
total, annular or partial. partialeclipse
will occur on tie last day OF this year, be-
tween 8 and Q o'clock in the morning.
which will be worthy your observation.
The body next III interest to us is our
Moon, satellite of the earth. around
which it rcvOlves once in about % days.
1t is y little over ! the diameter of the
earth, and about its density. It's orbit
is inclined 5 20 the plane of the ecliptic,
hence cclipses occur only when the new or
full moon occurs when passing her nodes,
Or the points where her path intcrsccts the
plane of the Earth's orbit-solar cclipscs
at new moon, lunar at full moon, when
the Earth passes between Moon aud Sun.
A lunar eclipse Of great interest will oc-
eur OF the 10th of next June, which will
last several hours, and will pay the observer
for losing 4 nights rest. The Moon has
is covered with cavities that resemble
volcanic cratcrs one or two Of these have
shown very slight traces OF activity by be-
coming c!ouded, as though emitting vapor.
The agency Of the moon is general lily
fo1 tI,n nj c.,rf fJ,n IL
though recent theorists attempt to ac-
count for them otherwise. She always
turns the same face towards the Earth, re-
yOlving on her axis in the same SStIay !
period.
These three bo,lies, their motions and !
relations, give us IN illustration of the !
of the whole system, and
of that of the visible universe.
SO far rs solid bodies are concerned.
Having thus briefly skctcIed the solar
system from our standpoint, Mr.. Pyott said
hat from Alpha Ccntauri, the nearest fixed
star, our Sun would be an insignificant va
liable or ncbulous star-thc spot periods
causing variations in briliancy, and the
extended corona, if visible ut that dis
aDcc, making it appear ncbulOus.
lie concluded by claiming upon the cv;-
lcnce presented the necessity of Il super
human Power who makes NJ mistakes,
Ind whose laws arc as inilcXiblc as they
,rc infaliiblc; and from this dcduccd us
he highest wisdom, first to discover Gods
physical and moral laws, and then to live
n accordance with them. lie believed in
seeking truth for it's own sake, not rs
ever to establish or lcmolisll theological
II other dogmas and while doubtful Of
he general propricty of attempting to ex-
ract morals from science, thought it lesit-
mate ut least to teach from the celestial
phenomena lessons Of the Omniscicncc Of
1od, the insigniticancc of man as COM
Jared with the creation of which lie fool
silly boasts himself the lord, and the inn
'Ortance in all directions of first observing
he facts, then dcducing the cprincip!es.