The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-07-14
THE DEMON STAR.
Some specu1atIons Concerning Its Strange
HehavEor.

Inc star lettered as Beta, IN the con- |
stellation Perseus, has long been known |
by astronomers as Algol, the name
meaning the demon star" Undoubted- |
ly it was so termed on account of its
mysterious changes in brilliancy. 1t
shines as a star of nearly the second |
magnitude for 81 4 hours, then loses its
light for 81 hours, then increases in
brilliancy during the next 81 hours, re-
gaining its former brightness, the cycle
of change being performed in about 80
days 1t is now visible in the evening |
sky, being about 20 degrees in the direc-
tion of little west from north of the
well-known Pleiades
It has long been suspected that these
periodical changes in brightness were
due to the revolution of an Opaque and
dark nebulous satellite around the prin-
cipal star, the light of which was cut
off from us by the interposition of its
companion But the period of variation
is too irregular to be thus completely
explained, and in addition to that fact
that principal star is found to have a
motion in space which cannot be entirely
referred to the presumed satellite. The
problem has recently been attacked by
DR.. S. G. Chandler, of Cambridge, and
the result announced in paper read by
him before the Boston Scientific society.
He finds that the conditions noted can
only be reconciled with the hypothesis
that both revolve around another dark
body, which may be called the center of
the Algol system as our sun is of the
solar.
The figures given in connection with
this statement may be of interest. 1t is
reasoned out that Algol has diameter
of about 100000 miles, or nearly half
that of our sun, and that its dark
satellite has a diameter of about 200, 900
miles. The distance between the centers
of the two is roo, 900 miles, and the dis
tance to the center of gravity is some
| 1,750, 600, 900 miles, or approximately
equal to that of Uranus from the sun.
The period of one revolution around it
is about 13O years. The central mass
| itself has not yet been seen by human
eye, but for various reasons it is sup
posed that even if it has no light of it's
own it should shine as star of at least
the eighteenth magnitude, in which
case it is within the range of the great
Lick telescope. Undoubtedly that in
strument will at once be turned upon
the spot in the hope of picking up"
the interesting stranger.
This research opens up broad field
| for speculation in direction entirely
new. 1t has hitherto been supposed
that all the visible stars and suns,
analogy leading to the conclusion that
each has a family of planets circulating
| -. r.
which are visible to us. That is, self
luminosity has been regarded as the
attribute of central mass (sun) which
gives light and life to his attendant
family of worlds, most of them shining
only by reflection and therefore in
visible to us at stellar distances. But
if there is one dark central mass, form
ing the central orb of a system of
planets, why not thousands of them, or
even millions? 1t is probable there
are several of this class. Not less than
ten stars of the Algol type have been
discovered two of them within the last
few months. Five of the other eight
have been proven by Chandler to have
Irregularities in their proper motion
Schonfeld has performed like service
for another, and only one of the ten that
have been known long enough for ex-
tended observation does not manifest
the changes referred to. That excep-
ton is Delta in the constellation Libra.
Hence if the hypothesis stated be con-
sidered to hold true for Algol it must be
accepted as at least probable for many
stars, since it is evident that only in ex-
ceptional cases will the movement be
such as to effect the obscuration in the
line of human sight. And this theory
vastly increases the. supposed risk of
disastrous collision with other worlds.
Hitherto the most speculative astrono-
mers have only been afraid of comets as
likely to collide with the earth at any
time during many millions of years in
the future, because the seen stars are at
such immense distances from us and
only few are known to be moving
with relative slowness in our direction,
But for aught one can tell there may be
one or more of these dark masses, at
tended by planets that are also invisible
In the absence of reflected light, that
may pounce down upon us at almost any
moment and in the twinkling of an eye
realize the worst fears of all the calam-
ity mongers of past ages. This may not
be pleasant thing to think of, but
there is no escape from the idea till some
other scientific man comes forward with
new light on the subject sufficient to
show that the fear is a groundless one.
N Y. Times.
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