The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-21
AN EVENING WITH COMETS.
Prof. Ashmore's Description OF the
Phenom ena,

Prof Ashmore's Description OF the
Phenomena.
Prof. Ashmore concluded his series Of
lectures at Trinity church last night. The
lectures have been very interesting and in
structive, which was attested by the fact
that the audiences increased eacRnight in
stead Of diminishing.
The interest became 80 general that
strong pressure has been brought to bear
upon Prof. Ashmore to repeat tie course.
he has agreed to give a review Of the three
lectures in one at Trinity lecture room
Monday night. This lecture will be brief
description OF the views used in the course
of lectures, as they are thrown upon the
canvas.
The first topic discussed by Prof Ash
more last night was the comets. A general
description of these strange bodies was
given and their parts were fully described
and illustrated. The shapes of their orbits,
the shape and the changeable characterize
their tails and their distances from the sun
were all strikingy shown by revolving
mechanical diagrams.
The number Of comets seen since Christ,
visible to the naked eye. is about 500, and
200 other telescopes ones have been
observed since the invention of
the telescope. OF these only about dozen
have had their orbits computed with any
considerable accuracys zs
The principal comets that have made
their appearance in modern times were dis
cussed in turn. and many of them were
illustrated by fine Photographic views. IL
seems that much superstition was INDUCED
In by our ancestors in regard to comets.
They believed that they were sent as warm
ings against sin, or as the precursor of some
direful calamity. Halley's comet, which
has period Of seventy We years, and which
will return in 1911 years, was shown to
have been observed regularly for over
1000 years. These frightful looking bodies
possess but little mass, aud while it Is possi-
bic for one OF them to strike the earth, it
was shown that probably but little damage
would result
Meteors, aerolites and shooting stars were
explained and illustrated by numerous dia-
grams These are little bodies, averaging
not more than grain or two in weight, res
voIVlng around the sun like the earth, and
enoountering this planet they dash through
the atmosphere with such enormous velocity
that sufficient heat is developed to consume
them before they reach the ground. Their
origin, hight and velocities were fully ex-
planned. Meteoric showers, such as were
seen in 1888 and 1866, were discussed and
their causes illustrated by diagrams pre-
pared specially for the lecture.
The fixed stars and the consultations re-
oelved attention last, and their enormous
distances, a1d immense numbers were ex-
pressed in figures staggering TO the human
mind. The number of fixed stars visible to
the naked eye was stated at 900.
Prof. Ashmore advanced the idea that all
the stars are suns, with possibly planets
revolving around them invisible to the eve,
These suns, like that of the earth, all re-
volve around some more distant sun carry
ing their train Of attendant satellites with
them.
Prof. Ashmore said it would take an ex-
press SO,000,000 years to reach the nearest
liked star. A cannon ball continuing at its
greatest speed would take 8 800, 900 years to
reach US. 1t takes the light from Sirius
over Il years to reach the earth, from
Arcturus % years, from Polaris As years,
and from the smallest star visible by the
Lick telescope 10000 years.
Prof. Ashmore discussed new stars
and explained the subject of
periodic stars, double stars and
star clusters. He said that Arcturus is ap-
preaching the earth at the rate of ffty-ave
miles a second.
Some time within the next billion years
those who survive to that time may posi-
bly, see the two crash.
An interesting explanation Of the nebuIe
was given.
Prof. Ashmore closed his lecture with
peroration as to the grandeur and greatness
OF God and the beauty Of his creations as
eVinced In all his works, from the greatest
to the smallest.