The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-02
THE SUN.
Il Seems Large, But Is Small Alongside Of the
Star AreturuS.

There are three well-defined classes of
stars, judged by the quantity of light they
yield. In the first class are the clear white
and blush white stars like Sirius and Vega.
These are supposed to be the hottest stars
and the most luminous in proportion to the
extent of their surface. Then there are the
golden yellow OF pale orange stars, Of
which Arcturus and Capela are fine ex-
amples. These have begun to cool. FL
nally we have the deep orange and red
stars like AIdebaran and Antares. These
have advanced still further in the cooling
process.
Now the spectroseope informs Us that our
sun belongs to the orange or Areturu5 types
and if we could view it from distant space,
we should see lovely star of pale golden
yellow. The question arises. then, how far
would our sun have 20 be removed in order
to shine with brightness no greater than
that of Arcturus? According To Sir. Maun-
der, it would have to be removed to 100000
times its present distance, or about half the
distance between us and Alpha Centauri.
But Arcturus is 11,500,000 times as far
away as the sun, and II our SUP were placed
at that enormous distance Its diameter
would have to be eighty-two times as great
in order to give a light equal to that re-
ceived from Arcturns. l hesitate to pre-
sent such figures, implying magnltudeS lar
beyond any to which we have been accus-
tons of observed facts In other words,
upon Mr.. MaundePs reasonable assumption
Arcturus mu st be gigantic sphere, 900, GOO
times larger than our sun, with diameter
of 70, coo, coo miles, or more than large enough
to fill the entire orbit of Mercury.
To make this contrast clearer let us insJi-
tute a simple comparison. Jupiter Is larger
than all the other planets and satellites of
the solar system. The sun is a little more
than 1000 times larger than Jupiter. But
ATcturuS, II our information Is correct Is
$50, 900 times larger than the sun. By the
side of such a majestic orb our sun, grand
and overwhelming as 1t is i'll our own sys-
TEN, would dwindle TO an insignificant star.
| Contemplating word so vast, endowed
with such mighty energies, and rus hing with
such resistless force through the great
! depths of space, we cannot resist the ques-
| tons: Whence came this blazing world
| Whittier is it bound? What is its mission
| and destiny? Is it simply visitor to ouI
sidereal galaxy, rushing furiously through ii
| like a comet? Is it being Constantly led anC
| enlarged by the worlds it encounters and
| the meteoric matter it gathers up in its Won
| derful Journey? What would be the effect
| if it ctanced to pass through nebula or d
| star cluster? Was the new star which sud
| denly biaZed forth in the nebula of An.
| dromeda in 1876 due to similar cause?
| AS the mighty aggregation OF attractive
| energies sweeps along his celestial path
| thickly bordeTed with stellar worlds, how
MANY of those worlds Will yield forever Il
| his disturbing forces? How many will bt
swerved from their appointed courses by hi
| irresistible power? How many Will plunge
into his fiery bosom and be swallowed up a
pebble is swallowed by the ocean.-Sclen
title American.