Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-05

Edttoys II The Ksnasbee Journo!


The ainetessth century has witnessed the
prod stion of many Inventions, some of
~bich are Of great practical utility, while
others are of less vaiue. Among the former
the spsctroscope stands out with great prom
lusnee. This wonderful ilttls lastrunr mt
- ased for the purpose of formiag and ex
smiIing the specira of the yaiiJns elements
Of which the earth b. composed. When
each of these elements Is IN gaseous form
brought to q white heat, and It's hight made
TO pass through a prism 1t produces as peet'
ram peculiar To itself, being different from
that Of every other element.
II is therefore possible to determine the
com position Of a luminous body when in a
gaseous state, by simply examining its
spectrum, and even If the body
producing the light be composed of several
different substances. each Of them VIII
usually make its presence known in the spec
,rum. BY this means five new chemical ele
ments have been added to the Atty nine be
fore kroxn to exist. Although the spectre
scope has been in use hardly thirty years
the variety and lmps-ttuce of the discov-
cries already made by It's use are simply
marvellous; and the range Of its possibilities
seem Unlimited.
Its revelations. hosever. are by no means
confined to the earth. Ii Is, in fact. in the
domain of Astronomy where its greatest
achievements have been accomplished IL
tells US of the nature, motions and condi-
tons Of matter at the sun. 1t has added
much to our kno sledge of the planets and
comets, and this know ledge could have
been obtained 10 no other way. and even
the feeble rays Of light which come
trembling from the stars. requiring years
to traverse the vast abyss which separates
rs from them, though travelling with in.
| conceivable rapitity, are, by its use made
to tell a startling story, and many of their
secrets. locked up through all the ages.
are revealed in language unmjstsksbe.
IL is not my intention to take the time to
give a history. or even description of the
spectroscope. but more particularly to call
attention 10 its latest and crownug tri-
umph refer to the results obtained and
conclusions drawn from spectrosc 1pic OBJ
servstions recently made at the Cambridge
observatory of the star Mar of the
Great Bear (Zets Ur-ar Msjoris.) Thi,
star. the second in the handle of the dip
per" IL easily recognized by 4
.mslI star near It (Alcor) which is
lust NfNltie 10 the Hbhtu tNt. II Is
double star one OF its components
being about twice as brightas the other, the
larger one being white and the smaller of
an emerald hue; and it is, by the way, a
beautiful object when viewed through q
telescope. IL now seems almost sure. from
certain slight changes which occur periodi
cslly in the spectrum of the larger compnn-
ent of this double star. tina, 1t is itself a
double star, its compliments being SO com
parstively close together as to preclude the
possibility of their being separated by the
most powerful telescopes; that they are
nearly equal 10 size; and that they
revolve around each other, or rather, around
the center of gravitation which lies between
them. in about fiftytwo days. Our own
sun has circumference of more than two
and half millions of miles AMI we think ii
quite large but what are We to think of two
mighty suns. each about twenty times the
mass of our own, whIzzing 4ronud each
other, at the rate of about one hundred
miles per second, while in the distance
another sun, perhaps of no less dimensions,
and of an emerald color, is revolving slow
y around them both
The spectroscope also tells US that the
whole of this vast system is rtcediug from
US nj the rate of about twenty miles per
second but even at this rate. mary ages
viii pass, before any perceptible dlmiuu.
ton of its brightness will occur
But y greater won er Is found in the star
B-s of the constellation "Aurigs," The
Wasoner) Of which the glorious Capells is
the leading object, This star is not only
double, but its compOnents ara in such close
proximity that they revolve srou'.d each
other in about four days Mt the rate of one
hundred and fifty miles per second.
The grandeur of systems like these it is
impossible for US 10 fully comprehend or
appreciate and yet these are but samples
of what are still to be discovered in the
heavens above us.
The little instrument that brings to light
these things is marvel; but are not the
things revea led more wonderful still? Had
David of old known as much of the starry
heavens as modern research has revealed,
his enthusiasm would have been all the
gre alter as he exclaimed, "Whel | contem-
plate thy heavens. the work of thy fingers.
the moon and the stars which thou hast or
dsined. what is man that thou art mindful
of him, and the son of man that thou visitest
himp' NJ. 5.
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