The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-04-20
4 srDs vrox 4 oonsn

A aHDs vPox a CoAsn
Tho April evening skies are particularly
attractive this year on account OF the simui.
tansous presence Of the planets Mercury
Venus. Saturn. Jupiter. and Mara string OF
brilliants hanging adown the western heavens
At one glance the observer can now SOC nearly
the whole planetary family OF the sun. tho
sarth's brother and sister worlds In shining
array. II requires no astronomical instrumenA
to perceivs that those planets shift their places
from week to week; that como are slow-paced
and some swift footed; that some shine with
dazzling Wilderness and others with leaden or
rudy hue, and that they oil differ In appear
ance from tho fixed stars.
This brilliant procession OF worlds 10 . speo-
tacle Of intense interest to every ono VINO stops
to consider how closely In origin and destiny.
- we'll a. in physical resemblances. thoy are
linked with the globe upon whose surface wo
pass our lives.
But the observer must In Imagination place
himself outside the solar system In order to
get . comprehensive view Of Ito relations to
the universe around It, II man could rlde
upon Q comet - II approached the system
from outer space. hs would obtain true con-
ception OF our situation In the universe.
Suppose our rider meets his comet hun
drsd thousand million miles from the sun.
Even then he has not traversed ono two-hun-
dredth part Of tho interval separating the sun
from the nearest fixed star. but he has left oil
the planets far behind him. From that mag
nifcent height and distance what prospect
expands around him Here he 10. out In open
space, which spreads away beyond the reach
OF Imagination In every direction. There is no
sunlight here. for at this distance tho sun has
n .-l~ L. - Fav
lows There IL no air here. and the vast dome
OF the universe 10 like Jet. with countless mil
lions OF stars glittering on every side like dia-
monds in the black depths Yet 1t Is not even
starlightsfor there IL no medium to difuse
their radiations.
And that little point Of piercing light yonder;
that Insignificant star. Is the sun. which was
wont to shed such an inoomprehensiblo blaze
OF light; to turn night into day; whose rising
was like new creation Of light and life upon
the earth2 Az. there 10 no doubt Of 1t. Thus
at one stride into space the star. Quenching sun
is diminished to q spark. And where are the
planets where tho earth Hidden in the rays
OF that star. The height from which Lucifer
descended when
he fs from s n %, e sb ss ..sy
brUppea from io .en M'i Ike ,s failing failing :sal
WIS a tFlH0 10 ttllS 1ob cSou u0To tu0 pOWOk Va
the sun Is felt. for the comet begins to obey its
attraction and bond its course toward IT, be-
cause among all the multitude Of suns which
sparkle In the gloom Of space It is the nearest.
The comets motion Is accelerated. and grad
ually the star-like sun increases In apparent
size and brillianoy. After . time 1t becomes
clear to the comet rider that out OF the abyss
OF immensity he Is approaching one OF the
populated places Of the universe. II We sup
pose him endowed with most piercing vision
and In the clear ether even ordinary vision
would possess extraordinary power-he may
see. In different directions other comets jour
neying sunwards. and perhaps meteors In
swarms and singly. joining the general process
sion toward the solar centre. Already tho
loneliness Of space is gone. and his comet and
the sun are no longer the only material bodies
within distance measurable to human COM
prehension.
The sun continues to increase In size and
splendor as he approaches 1t. and II he had
any means OF measuring his velocity tho pas
senger would perceive that the speed OF the
comet Is becoming frightful. Now no secs that
1t Is q metropolis OF the Universe he Is ap-
preaching. All roads lead to IL; the number
OF his fellow travellers. coming from every d.
rection increases. They draw closer together
as they near the focus Of their motion.
anu pEcbouLiy tuo oOidr oyStcui. lulb xTUhI
city OF space in which we dwell. begins to open
upon his view Us the shining cupoas and
mnarets Of Damascus rise from afar before
the delighted eyes Of the traveller approaching
slowly across the plains OF Syria. First per-
haps. he catches sight Of that mysterious
trans Neptunian planet which no human eye
has ever yet beheld. but whose existence some
astronomers believe has been demonstrate
ed By means OF comets which 1t has
made prisoners to the sun-turning them by
Its attraction into closed orbits as they entered
the outskirts Of the solar system. He sees this
PARKWAY sentinel planet revolving at dis.
tance from the sun equal to nearly twice that
OF Neptune. Yet from his point OF view It
seems to be Just outside the rays Of tho sun.
But. forthwith. as he continues to approach. no
catches sight OF another family shining planet
circlng around the sun much nearer than tho
first. 1t Is Neptune. Then Saturn with its
rings slowly emerges to view: noxt gigantic
Jupiter rolls into sight; then that swarm OF
tiny worlds. the asteroids; and then rudy
Mars: after which our earth. with its attendant
moon. turns its round. spotted face to his view.
Venus and Mercury and the teeming millions
Of meteors that crowd the neighborhood Of the
sun appear in turn. and finally the voyager
from outer space beholds the whole solar sys-
tenn glowing with light and beauty before him.
As the microscopic. by means Of his power
full lenses. which. In effect. enable him to bring
the object no Is studying exceedingly close to
his eye. sees dull speck enlarge into a won
der-world OF minute creation. SO our man upon
q comet. merely by approaching close to the
solar system. has seen twinkling star enlarge
into blazing sun. and out Of Its rays emerge
crowd OF worlds. basking In its hcat and light
and presenting spectacle that might make an
angel exclaim with a,tonishment and delight
N.ar - L.. -.
OF space the wandering comet has borne him
into the glare and hustle Of solar system. He
cannot doubt that II his celestial courser had
carried him into the neiRhborhood of some