The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-20
Wharf.-The HEAVENS ARE TELLING.

Professor Holden's announcement that
on August II Professors Sch9eberle. Camp
bell and Hussey made an observation OIL
Mars which shows that the canal named
Gauges is double will be regarded as
confirmation of Schiapareilrs discovery OF
1877 though the announcement will require
confirmation TO command universal ere
dence. It is very difficult even for trained
eve 10 make sure that thin line, seen at
distance of some 40 COO 600 miles. is single
line or a terminated line. So far as our
understanding of Mars is concerned. the
discovery, be il genuine or Imaginary, addS
nothing TO our knowledge. The men OF our
planet do not comprehend the purposes ol
a canal 1000 miles long and go miles Wlue'
much less those OF couple OF such OBJECTS,
Still, observation leads 20 thought anu
thought is the parent OF discovery. ~ ~
impossible to say what may NOT DC sus-
gested by the close examination OF wh"o
called the water system oil Mars OF oy the
cprions observations of the Arequipa as
tronDmers with regard 10 changes o1 cOlol
in the ruddy planet.
Scarcely less interesting than this study
of Mars is Professor Holden's account of
she fluctuations in the brilliancy of Auriga.
Ihis orb has only been known to astrono-
nners for about six months. 1t was SEEM
ingly evolved out of space last February.
When it was introduced 10 star-gaZers it
| was of the fifteenth magnitude. Now IL has
grown to be star of the tenth magnitude,
| aud has thus taken its place on the list Oh
/ variable stars. Is it star of periodical
I variation, like Aigol and Nina, whose orbits
can be calculated, and whose brillianey
| gloWs and fades alternately, in obedience to
/ the laws Of some unknown universe? Or
is it a star, like the Que in Cassiopeia,
! which blazed forth with such splend0r that
1t was taken for planet, and then
/ suddenly collapsed IN endless night; or
/ the star of Bethlehem, which, according
! 20 the ehurchmen, led the wise men OF the
East TO the cradle Of the Savior, and then,
! It's mission filed, faded into fathomless
darkness? Professor Holden's account re-
Yeals the history OF the star in Corona Bore
! ais, which had brilliant but evanescent
| career or the new star seen at Mount
/ Hamilton Professor Campbell says that he
I found three hydrogen lines bright on a
4 background of an exceedingly faint cOntinu-
! Gus spectrum, nearly all the light being con-
! densed in the F line" higgins found
! that the star in Corona B0realis had a
/ spectrum crossed by five black lines on
| which was supefposed the spectrum OF
/ glowing hydrogen which faded as the star
i yaned." Higgins interpreted the spectacle
! IS implying that the orb had been the
heater of an explosion of incandescent
; hydrogen. Our new star appears thus far
( 10 be III the growing stage; the stage OF eX-
| plosion has yet to come.
GradgTind remarks that he does not see
/ much use IN this star-gaZing; IL seems 10
! lead to no results and leaves US as wise as
| we were before. That was just what the
! Undertook TO overthrow the system Of
i Ptolemy and Kepler laid down his laws.
4 IS comfortable to reflect that in the pres
/ Mt day Gradgrind is not as numerous or as
! Influential as be was. Every great discov-
Il ~ By the early astronomers was announced
/ q fear and trembling lest il should be con-
I trned as an assault upon religion. The bold
/ 81 observers OF those days were checked in
4 he pursuit u knowledge by the conviction
I -hstLLe cure CT ignorance involved no small
tlsk' II PToIessor Holden had been contem-
ofafy OF Calico be would not have been
f'estered by pack of envious writer's snarl-
pg at his heels, but ne would have had To
eep close watch On The Smiths Creek
s 2ad Ior The approach Of men at arms COM
I presg for daring 20. explore the depths Of
! he skies. Some blatant ass would Droba-
! Nv have carried off the 36-inch equatorial
and broken 1t in pieces as an engine of the
/ 6evil.
There is a good deal of comfort in the re-
ection tbatthose pleasant days are past and
j 1at whether the astronomers Of the Lick OBJ
I srvatory do or do mol tell US what the peo-
/ ie in Mars are doing, and whether they do
/ T do not explain the phenomenal growth
| or the little stranger in Auriga. they can at
/ any rate pursue their studies without fear
| Of the police aud without visions of the rack,
/ tbe thumbscrew and the stake.