Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27
IL the Universe Infinite 2

Prom the Fortnishtly Review.
Bishop Butler has well remarked that ssprob-
ability is the guide of life," and, assuredly, n
il be our guide in all practical concerns, in q
still more significant sense may ii be claimedas
the source Of the greater part Of human knowl-
edge. Indeed, in a rapid survey Of the held Of
astronomy we are tempted to affirm, not merely
that the theory Of probability il OF the utmost
service to us, but that il is almost our sole
method of discovering the truth. This viii NOT
| seem a paradox to any one who will reflect that
| there is hardly an astronomical doctrine, even
of the utmost elementary kind, Of which it
might be said that our belief in II depends sim-
ply on the fact that its truth is, in q high de-
gree more probable than its falsehood To
those who are accustomed TO apply the doc
trine of probabilities habitually and, indeed.
almost unconsciously, il affords the readiest
tombstone by which many fsllacious scientific
notions can be dissipated. Let me give an IL
Illustration of what mean i allude 20 the dis
covery, or the alleged discovery should rather
say, of a certain central sum-" about which 10
was believed or stated that all the bodies In
the universe revolved- This marvellous center
was becomingly located in the Pleiades-in-
deed, IL / remember Alright, il was actually
identified with the star Alcyone. The doctrine
was certainly a splendid and captivating one,
but il was too good to be true. No one ever
hears anything about the central sun hypothe-
sis nowadays, and that, perhaps, for the simple
reason that il stood condemned on the face Of
il by the theory Of probabilities. IL IL wholly
unnecessary at this time Of day 70 attempt 70
appraise the value OF the observations BY which
an astronomer. justly esteemed for other labors
demonstrated. or thought he had demonstrated,
the existence of central sun"
Even if the apparent movements OF certain
stars offered quite unequivocal testimony
(which. indeed. was by no means the easel TO
show that they were revolving around Alcyone,
still il is obvious, little consideration, that
even this famous star could not be regarded -
the center Of the whole universe without doing
unwarrantable violence 10 all notions OF prob
ability. For just look at the facts in their due
proportion. Alcyone, no doubt, 10 . star Of
magnificent dimensions. IL may be hundred
or q thousand times more massive and brilliant
than our sun. Aicyone is % remote from the
earth that the light which now arrives at our
eyes, even though il speeds on its way st the
rate of $50, 003 miles q second, has not improb-
ably taken . century, or more than century,
TO reach us The Pleiades form Q cluster Of
bright stars almost unique In their interest; and
these circumstances might certainly render the
notion that there lay the center Of the universe
highly attractive TO the imagination and per.
haps even quite plausible. But the theory Of
probabilities at once upsets the whole doctrine
when the facts are viewed in their proper light
No doubt the theory of probabilities has moth
ing TO say against Alcyone in comparison With
any other star visible in the heavens, but what
il does say is that il would be utterly preposter.
Gus to imagine that any one Of the stars In the
round which all the bodies in the universe re-
volved. For summon up TO your Imagination
the most distinct star that can be seen with the
unaided eye. Then think OF the minutest star
that our most potent telescope can disclose.
Think of the tiniest stellar point OF light which
could possibly be depicted on the most sensi-
tive Photographic plate after hours Of exposure
TO the heavens. Think, indeed. OF the very 70.
hottest star. which, by any conceivable device,
can be rendered perceptible TO our conscious.
hat far rs n
lions of miles from the earth: doubtless the
light from il requires Thousands Of year,, and
some astronomers have said millions OF years,
10 span the abyss which intervenes between
our globe and those distant regions.
/ do not speak Of the most distant star
which the universe may possibly contain; I
only refer TO the most distant star that We ca0
possibly bring within our ken. Imagine Q
great sphere TO be described with its center ~
our earth. and with a radius extending all the
way from the earth 20 this last star movable
by man. Every star that We can see, every
star whose existence becomes disclosed TO NJ
on our photographs. lies inside this sphere; -
to the orbs which may lie outside thatsphere we
can know nothing by direct observation. The
imagination doubtless suggests. with irresisti-
bic emphasis that this outer region 10 also 90.
cupied by stars and nebula, suns and worlds.
in the same manner the interior Of that
mighty sphere whose contents are more or lees
accessible to our scrutiny. IL would do utter
violence to our notions of the law of continuity
to assume that all the existent matter in the
universe happened to lie inside this sphere; We
need only mention such a supposition before
We dismiss il as wholly indefenslble. 10 mot
make any attempt TO express the number OF
miles in the diameter of the sphere which
limits the extent of space known directly to
man. What the number may be is quite inn
material for our present purpose. But the
point that specially want 20 bring out Is thas
the volume occupied by this stupendous globe,
which includes within it all possible visible
material, must be but a speck when compared
with tie space which contains il.