The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-25
as 1t had been before? In such gush of
solar fury planets would melt like snow
flakes In a summer day.

as 1t had been before? In such a gush of
sonar Jury planets would melt like snow
flakes In a summer day
but now as TO the imagined connection
oetween Iycho's star and the Star of Beth
iehem. Tycho, himself. combafted the
supposition OF their identity. but he could
not prevent the general public from be-
iieVing that the new star was a herald of
the second coming of Christ and the end
OF the world. just as the star of the Maci
proclaimed the birth of the Savior. This
oeiief was not confined to the ignorant;
II was shared by William ~. of Hesse,
himself no mean astronomer for that day
and by the celebrated Theodore Beza. the
successor OF Calvin. One Cyprianus Deo-
Vitlus, referring for his authority to IAN
Ola manuscript" declared. that similar
stars had been seen in the same quarter of
the heavens as that in which Tycho's ap-
peared, In the years 1864 and 945. Between
IDA TO l5I2 there was lapse of 3Os wears.
ana between 94o and 1864 another
lapse OF $40 years. Notwithstanding the
oiHerence OF eleven years between these
periods 1t was concluded that the star
nuctuated IN cycle somewhat exceeding
500 years, and that its fifth previous APP
pearance had conceded with the birth of
Christ. Ii its temperance in 1872 de-
noted me approaching end of the world,
what messages had it brought to man at
us former apparltions. or had it, on those
occasions proved itself false prophe.3
NOBODY seems to have troubled himself
about these questions.
But one only needs to read the account
OF the star of the Magi in the second chap
ter of Matthew to see that il could only
De identified with such phenomenon as
Iycho's star by very liberal use OF the
oriental imagination. Yet We know how
capable tina. imagination is of making the
phenomena OF nature correspond with the
fancies of the mind. According to the ac-
count, after the wise men of the East"
had had their interview with Herod, the
star went before them till it came and
STOOD over where the young child was"
That such a description could be applied
to an unknown star, shining among the
other stars and sharing only in their mo-
tons, is possible, but not probable.
However that may be. everyb body knows
that within recent years there has been a
widespread expectation of the reappear-
ance OF Tycho's star, coupled with the no.
tlon that that phenomenon is the real star
OF betnlenem. Indeed, some of the many
pretenders to scientific knowledge. who
nave begot in their muddled brains the
IDEA that they are savants and prophets of
one kind or another. and whose absurd
givlngs-fOrth find too many uncritical
readers, have from time to time actually
ventured to assert in the public prints
u.
statement has been accepted by thousands
OF persons, who should and could have
known better
The actual facts are these: Tycho as
certa'ned the place of the wonderful star
In Cassiopeia as accurately as the instru-
ments in use i'll his day would permit. We
know almost the precise spot in the sky
where the star appeared. at that place
there is now minute star of less
than the tenth magnitude, visible, of
course, only with the aid of telescope.
and which was first observed upwards
OF thirty years 20. There is no positive
proof. however, that it had not been WISH
BILE for an unknown period before it was
specially noticed, and perhaps it has
always been there. Some comparatively
recent observations suggest that this little
star is slightly variable in its light. As
tronomers may be said to be a little sus-
picious of it; they admit the possibility
that this minute twinkler may be the
very orb which in Tycho's time aston
ished the world with its sudden but fleet
ing spiendor. Finally photographs have
been made of this star and Of the sky in
Its neighborhood. and astronomers occa-
siOnally take a look at it with their tele-
scopes, so that if it ever does burst forth
with unwonted brilliance the news will
not be long in reaching the public.
One word more. based upon the sup
posed period. or cycle, of Tvcho's star. 1t
has been observed that the two alleged
appositions previous to 1872 were 319 years
apart, while between the later OF these
and 1872 only 30S years interviewed. The
mean of these two periods would be 1884,
years. 1t is now about two months more
than 800 years since Tycho, looking up at
the sky, was astounded to see magniti-
cent new star blazing over his head. If
that star is to reappear in our day 1t is
now overdue about six years and eight
months, estimating by the assumed mean
period, and about fourteen months as
judged by the time elapsed between the
years 945 and 1864. If the supposed ap-
pearances in the years last named rested
upon solid evidence We might. with some
confidence. still expect to see Tycho's star
again. But the evidence on which they
rest is very unsatisfactory. so that the