Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-02-04
ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCE.
Its Progress During the Nineteenth
Century.

ITS Progress During the Nineteenth
Century.
Looking back to the year $780, we
are astOnished at the change. The
comparat vely simple science of the
heavenly bodies known TO our prede-
cessors, almost perfect SO far as il
went. injurious Of what lay beyond its
grasp. has developed into a body Of
manifold powers and parts. each with
its separate mode and means Of growth,
full of strong vitality. but animated by
a restless and unsatisiied spirit. haunt
ed BIZ the sense Of problems unsolved,
and tormentcd BY concious impotence
TO sound the immens;ties it perpetually
confronts.
Knowledge might then be aid 10 DO
bounded by the solar system; but even
the solar system presented itself under
an aspect strangely different from that
IL now wears 1t consisted of the sun,
seven planets. and twice as many
satellites, all circling tremendously in
obedience to universe al law. by the
compensating action of which the in
definite stability of their mutual rela-
tons was secured. The occasional in
cursion of comet. or the periodical
presence Of single such wanderer
chained by planetary or solar attrac-
ton TO prevent escape to outer space.
availed nothing to impair the symme-
try 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 10 The ancient classes of its menu
bers but completely has been given
to its constitution battling description
or thought Two hundred and seventy
circlng planetary bodies bridge the
gap between Jupiter and Mars. the
completes invest CATION of the move
menis of any one of which would over
tax the energies of lifetime. Meteor
ties. strangers apparently to the funda-
medtai order of the solar household,
swarm. nevertheless, by millions in
ever Granny of its space. returning at
regular intervals like the comets so
singularly associated with them for
sweeping across it with hyperbOlic vel
ocltes. brought perhaps from some
distant star. And each of these cos
mical grains of dust has a theory far
more complex than that of Jupiter; it
bears within it the secret of its origin.
and fulfills function in the universe.
The sun itself is no longer semi-fab-
nous fire girt globe, but the vast scene
Of gt,a g aF f,tat,opfa al
known 10 us, offers bonndless field
for the most arduous and inspiring re.
searches. Amongst the planets. the
widest variety in physical habitueds is
seen Ia prevail. and each is recogn zcd
rs world apart. inviting inquiries
which. to be effective, must necessarily
be special and detailed. Even our own
moon threatens TO break loose from
the trammelS of calculation. and COM
mits ''errors" which sap the very
foundat on of the lunar theory, ami
suggest the formidable necessity for its
revision. Nay. the stcadfast earth has
forfeited the implicit confidence placed
in it as time-keepcr, and questions
relating to the stability of the earth
axis. and the constancy OF tie earth S
rate of rotation. are amongst those
which it behoOves the future TO answer.
Everywhere there is multifomity snd
change. stimulating curiosity which
the rapid development of methods of
research offers the possibil ty of at least
partially gratifying.
Outside the solar system the prob
lens that demand pract cal solution
are all but infinite In number and ex-
tent. Aud these have all arisen and
crowded upon our thoughts within
less than 100 years. For sidereal ci-
ence became recogn zed branch OF
astronomy only through Herscher s
discovery of the revolutions of double
stars in 1902 Yet ALREADY it NAV be,
and has been called, 1.-The astronomy
of the future. so rapidly has the de-
velopmenI of \ keen and universal in
terest attended and stimulated the
growth of power to invest gate this
sublime subject What has been done
is little scarcely beginning; vet it
is much in comparison with the total
blank of q century past And our
knowledge will, we are easily persuad-
ed, appear in turn the merest igno-
rance to those who come after us. Yet
it is not to be despised, since by it we
reach mp cropping fingers to touch the
hem of the garment of the Most
High Sideredi Messenger.