The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-03-03
HEAVENLY WONDERS.


How They Have Besn Revealed BY the
Progress In Astronomy.
Looking back to the year 1900 we are
astonished at the change. The COM
paratively simple science Of the heaven.
ly bodies known to our predecessors
almost perfect 80 far as It went. in
curious Of what lay beyond It's grasp,
has developed into body of manifold
powers and parts, each with its separate
mode and means of growth, full of
strong vitality, but animated by rest
less and unsatisfied spirit, haunted by
the sense of problems unsolved, and
tormented by conscious impotence to
sound the immensities It perpctually
confronts.
knowledge might then be said to be
bounded by the solar system; hut even
the solar system presented itself under
an aspect strangely different from that
1t now wears. It consisted Of the sun.
seven planets and twice as many satel-
lites. all circling harmoniouslv in obedi-
ence to universal law. by the COM
pensating action of which the indefinite
stability of their mutual relations was
secured. The occasional incursion n OF
a comet or the periodical presence of n
single such wanderer, chAined by
planetary or solar attraction to prevent
escape to outer space, nvailed nothing
to impair the symmetry of the majestic
spectacle
Now, not alone have the ascertained
limits of the system been widened by
1000, 900, 900 of miles. with the addition
of one more giant planet and six satel-
lites to the ancient classes of its mem.
bers. but coniplexity has been given
to its constitution battling description
or thought. Two hundred and seventy
planetary bodies bridge the gap be.
tween Jupiter and Mars, the complete
investigation of the movements OF any
one of which would overtask the ener.
gies of lifetime. Meteorites. stran.
gers apparently 10 the fundamental or
dering of the solar household. swarm.
nevertheless, by millions in every Granny
of its space, returning at regular inter-
walls like the comets so singularly asso.
ciated with them. and sweeping across
it with hyperbolic velocit les. brought
perhaps, from some distant star. And
each of these cosmical grains of dust
has q theory far more complex than
that of Jupiter it bears within it the
secret of its origin, and fulfils func-
ton in the universe. The sun itself is
no longer semi-fabulous. fire. -girt
globe, but the vast scene of the play OF
forces rs yet imperfectly known to us,
offering boundless field for the most
arduous and inspiring researches.
Among the plane is, the widest variety
in physical habitudes is seen to prevail,
and each is recognized as world apart
inviting which, to be effective,
must necessarily be special and de-
tailed. Even our own moon threatens
to break loose from the trammcls o1
calculation and commit errors which sar
the very foundation of the lunar
theory and suggest the formidable
necessity for its revision. Nay, the
stcadfast earth has forfeited the i'm
plicit confidence placed in it as time
keeper, and questions relating to the
stability of the earth's axis and tn,
constancy of the earth's rate of rota
ton are among those which it be
hooves the future to answer. Every
where there is multiformity and change
stimulating curiosity which the rapit
development of methods of research
offers the possibility of at least partially
gratifying.
Outside the solar system the problems
which demand II practical solution ar,
all hut infinite in number and extent
And these have all arisen and crowded
upon our thoughts in less than on,
hundred years. For sidereal scicnc,
became ~ recognized branch of astron
omy only through Herschel's discovery
of the revolutions of double stars ii
1892. Yet already it may be. and ha
been called, 1.-THE astronomy of th'
future" so rapidly has tho develop
ment Of keen and universal interes
attended and stimulated the growth o
power to investigate this sublime sub
ject. What has been done is little-i
scarcely beginning; yet it is much il
comparison with the total blank of .
century past. And our knowledge
will. we are easily persuaded, appear
in turn the merest ignorance to thos
who come after us Yet it is not to b,
dcspiscd, since by it we reach up crop
in- fingers to touch the hem of the gar
N