Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-23

The TraveBs 81 the som.
Prom the New Yrf sun.
The mlldness Of the nights and the genera
cearness OF the air In the latter part OF May ard
during June up TO the summer solstice, corn
b'ne to make this the most favorable season far
viewing the double stars> Fortunately. Of ttis
same season many Of the most beautiful and
celebrated double stars IN the heavens are r.
vorably situated Tor observation. A Double star
Is one which appears single to the naked eye,
but which when viewed with q telescope Is seen
to be composed Of two stars. generally OF differ
ent magnitudes, and often OF different coiors.
There are also triple stars. quadrupie stars
octuple stars, and etars in cluster as thick ~
q swarm OF golden bees The interest in
when we reflect that they are not mere shinnq
epecks or points, but huge suns. which appear
minute simply on account OF their Immense
distance from us. In many cases direct proof
has been obtained that these double and triple
suns are actually held In leash by their mu-
tual gravitation, and are swinging around
and around like giants holding one another
at arms length. II there are any planets
obeying the attraction OF these graphing
suns, the scene presented to them must %
strange beyond description. This singular.
ity II heightened by the contrast in the
colors OF many Of the double stars Some OF
these cOlors and the manner In which they are
contrasted, produce most charming effects. For
instance, the star called Mirac I'm Bootes really
consists OF two stars, one OF which is orange
and the other pure sea green. Aibireo I'm the
constellation OF the Swan. consists Of golden
yellow and an indigo blue star. In the double
star Eta Cassiopeie the colors are white and
purple; In Zeta 0rionis they are yellow and
most strange unnamed color, unlike any OF the
hnes Of the rainbow, or any Of the pigments
known to artists; In Xi Leporls the coiors sre
lighted by two suns one pouring forth white
rays and the other blood-red rays, aud one per
haps rising when the other SETS producing in
the sky an alienation OF these colorsl
In view of the singular phenomena presented
by the double stars II Is startling thought that
as the sun pursues his long Journey through
space he may possibly fall In with travelling
companion In the shape OF another sun "a large
as or larger than himself, and so become a mem.
Der OF double-star system. While the motions
of the double stars furnish evidence that the law
of gravitation extends throughout the universe
yet We have no evidence that the clock-like
regularity with which the planets in our system
pursue their ellipticai paths governs ali the
motions Of the heavenly bodies. The sun
and the stars are journeytng in various
directions through space, but, except In the
case Of the double stars, we cannot say that
they are moving 10 regular orbits. In fact. We
know that some stars. like the celebrated 1890
Groombrfdge which has been called a runaway
sun, are rushing ahead at such q velocity that
all the gravitating power OF all the bodies In
the known universe cannot stop them. II, then,
the stars, including our sun. are moving like
swarming bees in various directions, some Of
them whose masses and velocities happen to b
rightly prOportfOned, are likely In the course Of
time to approach SO close that they can
never get apart again, but must continue 70
swing around one another, linked by thsir
place. II the sun should ever thus fall within
the attraction Of another sun. the consequences
might be disastrous to life upon the planeta,
even without any collision; but the enormous
interval OF time which must elapse before such
thing can happen deprtves this consideration Of
any elements Of alarm.
But, independently OF its effect upon the
planets, the future career Of our rowing sun
cannot but be q matter OF interest. Even though
all life should perish from the earth ages before
the sun finds companion In his journey, yet We
know that he cannot shake the earth on, and II
eventually he should become member OF one
OF those wonderful star clusters which the tele-
scope reveals, scattered here and there In the
heavens, he would carry the earth, bearing the
relics OF the human race with him, into the per-
petual daylight which must oyerspread such q
glorious congregation Of suns.
THERE'S another consideration, however which
is less agreeable to the Imagination. Astrono-
mers have come to recognize the fact that space
abOunds In dark bodies, many OF which are per-
haps. burned-out suns. The number OF these
dark bodies has been estimated to equal II not
w cACccu, tnak Oh tno visible STATS. suppose
our sun should run into one Of these dark bodies
OF mass equal to or greater than his own! Tho
law OF the conservation Of energy teaches us
that terrific confagration would result, In
which worlds would be consumed like crack
ling shingles In q bonfire. But instead OF
running against q dark body the sun might
merely fall within its attraction, and, the CEN
tripetal and centrifugal forces being bal
anced, the two-a living sun and q dead one
would hencefOrth 60 swinging about their COM
mon center in an endless waltz. There is evil
dence that this very thing has happened TO some
Of the other suns around ms. The great star
PrOcyon, for instance, IL known to have an In
visible companion dragging 1t to and fro. hut
astronomers have strained their eyes Ia vain to
catch glimpse Of it; and II il believed that the
variations In the light OF the remarkable wink
ing star In Perseus, which the Arabs named the
Demon, are caused by . huge dark body whrl-
Ing around it. 1t is not pleasant to think OF the
bare possibility Of our glorious sun being thus
made prisoner in the midst OF the universe,
chained to q rayless skeleton; but that appears
to be one OF the strange chances which beset
. solar traveller in the wonder filled deeps Of
0p0ce,