Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09
Where May the Sun Get Its Heat?

FROM GOOD words.
L pointed out that when a shooting star
dashes into our atmosphere its course is at
tended with an evolution of light and heat
owing to its friction through the air. We we're
thus able TO account for the enormous quantity
OF heat. or OF what was equivalent to heat.
which existed in virtue of the rapid motion OF
these little bodies. OF course, we only see these
meteors at that supreme moment of their dis
solution when they dash into our atmosphere
1t Is, however. impossible to doubt that there
must be uncounted shoals of meteors which
never collide with our earth. 1t must ueces-
sarlly happen that many of the other great
globes III our system must. like our globe alb
soro multltudes OF meteors which they chance
to encounter in their roamngs The
number of meteors that will be gathered
by globe will be doubtless greater the larger
ana more massive be the globe. and this for a
double reason. In the first place the dimen-
sions OF the net winch the globe extends to en-
trap tins meteors WILL of course. increase with
Its size, but In addition the more massive be
the globe the more vehement will be its attrac-
ton and the greater will be the number of the
meteors that are drawn into its extensive at
mosphere. OF course this reasoning will apply
IN special degree to the sun. We shall prob
ably be correct IN the assertion that for every
meteor that descends upon this earth at least
million meteors will descend upon the sun.
As these objects pillow their way through the
suns atmosphere light and heat Will be. Of
course, evolved.
1t has been conjectured that the friction of
the meteors which are necessarily rushing
into the sun may produce light and heat in
sufficient quantities 70 aid in the maintenance
OF the suns ordinary expenditure. 1t has been
even supposed that the quantity OF energy
thus generated may supply all that is wanted
to explain the extraordinary circumstance that
from age to age no visible decline has taken
place in the intensity of the solar radiation
Here again is a question which we must sub
NIT to calculation, We have first of all TO de-
termine the heat which could be generated by
a body of, let us say, pound in weight fall
ing into the sun after being attracted thither
from an indefinitely great distance. The re-
suit is not little startling; il shows us that
such body in the course of Its friction through
the suns atmosphere might generate as much
heat as could be produced by the combustion
of many times its own weight of coal consumed
under the most favorable conditions.
->O>-----
Christians and Gentiles
From the Hebrew Journal
Christians are not Gentiles. They are q re-
ligious sect, God-fearing sect They are the
followers of the teachings Of Jesus Of Nazareth,
who was himself-aside from his peculiarities-
h God-fearing man. Gentiles were idolaters
or pagans, who were called by the Hebrews by
the name of Coin, and the Christians called
them Gcntiles In the New Testament we find
it repeatedly. Jews and Gentiles are often
mentioned Now it seems that the use Of the
word Gentle in connection with the Christian
people is an unjust misnomer, and yet some
Of the best Christians call themselves BY that
name.