Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1893-10-12
SUN HEAT.
Some Curious Speculati0ns In Regard to
80 Our Solar LuminacY. 81

Our Solar Luminary.
So far as our present knowledge goes
it would seem that the brightness Of
any sun-like body is to be attributed
solely to the transformation in some
fashion Of mechanical power into heat
TO take our own sun as an example, it
is now an assured doctrine that the
heat so necessary for our welfare is
sustained by the gradual contraction
of the solar volume. The energy avail
able for transformation into heat in
this process seems sufficient to supply
the radiation of the sun, not only for
ages such as those which we reckon in
the human period, but even through.
out lapse of time so vast as that which
geology demands for the formation of
the earth's crust. But it is certain that
the Quantity of possible light and heat
to be dispensed by the sun is limited in
amount.
The sun can not shine on forever. A
time must assuredly come when the
mighty orbat present SO brilliant, will
have no more potency for the radiation
OF light than is at present possessed by
the earth or the moon. In like man.
ner it can be shown that the materials
constituting the sun have not always
been luminous. We can not indeed say
with certainty by what influence their
brightness was kindled. 1t probably
arose from collision, or an approach
to a collision, between two dark masses
which happened to come to an encoun,
ter with enormous velocities in their
progress through space. 1t is, how
ever, plain that the ages during which
the sun has been brilliant form only an
incident, SO to speak, in the infinite
history Of that quantity of matter OF
which the solar system is constituted.
Notwithstanding the millions, or
thousands of millions, of years for
which that matter has existed, it has,
perhaps, only once become so heated,
owing to circumstances which we may
describe as accidental or casual, as to
have acquired the ample light-dispens-
ing power Of sun. 1t is, however,
possible that such periods of light
radiating capacity should have oc-
Cured more than once-they may pos
sibly have occurred several times
throughout the ages of time past. Nor
is It likely that the last phenomena Of
this kind have yet arrived.
The sun, after the lapse of uncounted
years, will lose all its heat and pass
into a black, dark mass. In that form,
it may endure for an epoch so pro-
tracted that the spell during which it
has acted as the luminary of our sys-
tenn will appear but moment in COM
parison with the dark ages which sue
coed the solar splendor.
But we can conceive that the dark.
ness, which is the doom of our system,
need not necessarily be eternal. so far
as its materials are concerned; it may
be that again in the course of its wan.
behring's through space the tide of chance
may at length bring the dark and ire
mendous globe so near some other orb
that another collision should take place
with appalling vehemence. The solid
materials shall again become trans.
formed into stupendaus glowing neb-
uia, and then, in the course of the to-
dious contraction of this nebula, an
other protracted period of brilliance
will diversity the career. Of this great
body, and may last long enough for the
evolution of planets and of whole races
of highly-organized creatures. The
essential point for our present consid-
Grafton must not be misunderstood. A
little reflection will show that any pc
RODS of brilliance must be regarded as
exceptional periods in the history OF
each body. Sir Robert Ball, in Fort
nightly Review.