Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-05-14
at ashia9tua tanaara
MYSTERIES OF the Heavens.

1t il well known TO all who have
paid the least attention to the
study Of astronomy that our sun
its solar system. in addition (,
all their other varied motions. ar,
moving at the rate of l60, 600 90,
OF miles - year. IN what APPEARS :,
be "A direct motion towards Tia,
constellation Hercules. The re-
gion of space toward which Thu
movement Is tending i. exceed
ingly rich IN stars of peculiar
brilliancy and many colors- the
most OF them are much greater
than our sun. Besides the great
constellation named We are al O
approaching that of Orion. with
its GALAXY of green suns. This
cluster appears to be golden
cloud of stars clinging together
like a swarm OF bees. and yet sep.
arated from each other bv billions
of miles of space. Within the
boundaries of this cluster there il
also one Of the most brilliant
nebulae which adorn the heavens
-" the nebulae i'll Orion which
may be distinctly seen by a tele-
scope Of the very smallest power.
We frequently speak OF our sun
moving towards certain point
but we seldom reflect that while
we are moving towards "A certain
point or certain star, that star is
also moving with great rapidity-
j. may be away from Us, il may be
towards US, it may be to the right
or left at greater or less angle,
so that when we reach the point
designated the star we arc now
approaching will be as far away
from us as ever. Astronomers
tell Us that some stars are rushing
from us while others are rushing
toward us with almost incredible
velocity.
Instruments have been con-
structed which can tell with alb
solute certainly whether we are
approaching or rccoding from any
given star. The stars we call
fixed" are 80 only because their
immense distance from us renders
their motion imperccptible except
to the mont delicate instruments
Of astronomical measurement.
Every star in the universe has var.
ious motions Of revolutions on its
axis, revolution around other stars
and still greater movements of
which We can form but dim idea.
The whole universe is in motion
Of the most inconceivably rapid
character. The stars aud suns are
moving in every and all directions,
but all, 10 doubt. in circles more
or less elliptic. Nothing moves in
a direct line; curve is beauty, mo-
ton 10 life; a halt would be death
and destruction.
New stars are constantly appear
ing and others are disappearing
that il TO our vision. No star. how.
ever. is lost. The economy of ma.
tute Is perfect. The appearing
and and disappearing of stars is no
doubt due simply TO their greater
or less luminosity. II requires a
luminosity Of tho greatest brilliancc
to traverse the inconceivablo dis.
lance Of intcr.stellar space. A star
which might be very bright at a
certain distance would be invisible
at q greater distance.
A new star has recently made ito
appearance in tho constellation
Orion, Of which we have been
speaking. This star presents some
new and interesting characteristics
which are being carefully studied
by astronomers. NJ. Wolf says
this star is similar to ono of the
most marvellous stars in tho heav.
ens-Misi Coli Of the Whale. II
is supposed to be variable star,
which becomes visible and invisi
BILE, by the increase or decrease of
its conhagration. The number of
variable stars is very great.
But the most wonderful and in
comprehensible Of oil the mysteries
of the heavens is its vastness-its
utter illimitability. Should our
sun or any other sun commence
moving in a direct line at tho rate
Of thousand millions of miles n
year, at the end Of myriads OF
years it you'd DO no nearer to the
limits Of OF the universe than when
its motion first began. Also the
number OF worlds in space. Let
the tiniest drop of water represent
n sun, then count the oceans and
seas OF the world, and their mum.
Der would but just begin to repre-.
sent tho number Of worlds in space.
Nothing but an infinite mind, can
comprehend infinite space.
Among the other wonders now
to be seen in the heavens are three
comets, which at present can be
seen only by aid Of tho telescope.
Two OF these will soon become
visible in tho same immediate
neighborhood In the northwestern
heavens. Tho third is about dis.
appearing from even q telescope
vision. OF wondersin the heav.
ems, As we'll as upon the earth, there
il no end.
THB Whitehall Times tells n