Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-09-28
SUN HEAT.
Some Curious Specuisti0ns Ia Ht3eard -
Our Solar LumInAry.

ScmN Curious Specuiations Ia Rf6ard -
Our Solar LumInAry.
So far as our present knowledge foes,
it would seem that the brightness OF
any sun-like body is to be attributed
solely to the transformation in sOnke
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, brt even through
out lapse of time so vast as that which
geology demands for the formation OF
the earth's crust. But IL is certain that
the quantity of possible light and heat
to be dispensed by the sum 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 ike man.
ner it can be shown that the Haterials
constituting the sun have not always
been luminous. We can not indeed say
with certainly by what influence their
brightness was kindled. 1t probably
arose from collision, or an approach
to collision, between two dark masses
which happened to come to an encoun-
ter with enormous velocities i'm their
"
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 foF
which that matter has existed, it hAsy
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 a sun. It is, however,.
possible that such periods of light
radiating capacity should have oc.,
CURED more than once-they may pes--
sibly have occurred several times
througheut the ages of time past. Nor
is it likely that the last phenomenon,
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-
tzacted'. that the spell during which it,
hassacted as tine luminafy of our sys--
tenn will appear but moment in CONF
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. 80 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 anothercoI1ision should take place
with appalling vehemence. The solid
materials shall again become trans
formed intoa stupendaus glowing neb-
ula, and then, i'm the course of the te-
dious contraction of this nebula, an
other protracted period of brilliance
will diversity tile career of this great
body, and inayl last long enough Tor the
evolution of planets and of whole races
of highly-erganiaed 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.