The morning call., 1892-02-18
EVANESCENT STARS.
Signs That the Present "NOYa ;"
Is Only One Of Many.
Cassiopeia, 0phinchus and Corona Borealis
Have Contributed Their share-Why
the Dearth in the South!

you may call it a curious thing"
said a local astronomer to a CALL
reporter last evening, "but l have
taken particular notice that all the
new stars of any noteworthy magnitude
have appeared in the northern celestial
hemisphere. Take the new star in Auriga,
for instance"
MAY not that be Tycho's star, the Star
of Bethlehem"
"No, because if that was not the planet
Venus, which, by the way, is unusually we'll
placed in northern attitudes this year. 1t is
something else. The planet Venus could
not appear in CaSsiopeia anyhow. TYchO's
star is due to appear now in the cOnstella-
ton Cassiopeia. but at a certain point close
to the w, and far away from the position
Of the present apparition in Aurlga."
What do you think of it?'
"WeIl, my view is the same as that of
Dicks, prOpOunded thirty years ago. That
is to say, that these new stars are simply
visible ana invisible, according to circum-
stances. DR.. Dick was as earnest and
honest an astronomer as Herschel. He put
forward the theory that a new star was
like a comet, brightest at the least distance
from the earth, and invisible when travel
ing away from it TO a sufficient distance.
IDEAS ABOUT THE NOVG.
"Others have conceived that these
move or new stars, are simply rendered
invisible for long periods; that, for instance,
the Star of Bethlehem is the Identical bright
star of the ninth, twelfth. fifteenth, and now
of the eighteenth century Of the Christian
era-that Is to say, counting on the inside
Iu other words, that the IychO star is the
same which appeared In 1912, aud that the
same principle applies to other temporary
stars.
How about the temporary star tn Ser
Ientarius?"
That may be a star Of different period.
like the star which appeared in Corona
BOrealis in 1866"
What do you understand by temporary
and variable stars ,"
"Why, it is Just this: Take the star Mira
IN Cetus, or AlgOl in Per: Gus. on can see
them any clear night in the northern SKY In
the same relative position every day IN the
year. One time they will be bright, another
dim. But these temporary stars blaze out
Of a sudden and then disappear.
TYCHO'S STAR.
Tycho's star was fixed star, to all intents
and purposes. but il has never been seen
since 1913. There is a fifteenth magnitude
star near its place, but it would lake the
Lick telescope to show It,
There Is a twelfth magnitude star near
where the second magnitude star in COrona
BoTealis appeared ia 1866. but l wouldn't
like to swear it was the same. 1t would take
a good telescope 70 show that, anyhow. BY
and bye, with Photographic chart Of every
decree Of the heavens, We VIII be able to
locate not only every new star but every
new planet that shines as a tar OF the ff-
teenth magnitude. The new star is net
planet. 1t cannot lie a planet because it is
too far from the eciptc."
What is your idea?'
THAT these temporary stars are not new
suns, but old suns hickerinG or passing
through an era o transition. You have seen
how an electric light flickers. Why should
not distant sun do the same? Surprising
1t should be so, what more naturally than
that we should tardlly receive an impress
sion that has come from billions of miles
away and that perhaps was generated thou
sands OF years before We were boTu?'
RIDICULOUS THEORIES.
what about the theory OF collision Of
suns ana eXplOslOn?'
1t is about as rational as the idea Of 1850
90 mat the earth would be DESTROYED by a
comet. The earth passed light through the
tail Of the comet OF 1S6l-62; II passed
through the tail Of Bela's comet in 1857 aud
sklrted the tail OF the comet Of 1852, and
nothing happened.
Tho best way TO understand this thing
IS to separate comets and fixed stars alto
getheT 4 planet is said 10 shine as 4 star
Of a certain magnitude, but II is only an
accident IN the sky, whereas a fixed star is
a fixture, bright or dim, as tie case may be-"
w hat Is your idea about the present new
star in Auriga?'
THAT it has attained its maximum bril-
ljancy and viii disappear rapidly as other
| temporary stars have done"
Bat why the 0eaTth in the south? Why
no new stars theTe2