New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-19
THE NEW STAR.
METHODS AND MEANING OF MRS. FLEM'
ING'S DISCOVERY.
PROCESSES OF CREATION REVEALED BY PHOTO.

PROCESSES OF CREATION REVEALED BY PHOTO
GRAPHS OF STELLAR spEcTRA.
It has already been mentioned in The Tribune
that Mrs. NJ. Fleming, one OF the experts on tns
staff OF the Harvard Astronomical Observatory, re.
Gently discovered the existence OF a star In the
southern skies which had not been known before
But the methods and meaning OF that interesting
achievement are not yet appreciated by the gen.
eral public perhaps. keenly as they might be.
Beautiful and amazing as are the revelations Of.
the telescope. these not comparable with those
of another instrument which reveals to the astron-
Omer the composition OF the most distant heavenly
bodies. Every reader OF The Tribune probably
knows that the light OF incandescent substances
when drawn out into rainbow by passing through
a prism. Is marked by certain lines which distin-
gush 1t from every other: and that with varying
degrees OF heat the width and even the existence
Of these lines Is sometimes materially affected. But
he may not realize how far this resource has been
utilized In studying the stars. There many
lines observed In stellar spectra which do not cor
respond to those OF substances that familiar
with at least In the conditions In which We have
been able TO examine terrestrial matter. Again,
has been found wise. II not necessary. to modify
the classification OF stars according to their spec.
ira made fifteen or twenty years ago. But 1t 10
highly significant that such a grouping Is possible
at ALL and that there Ia graduation from one type
to another extending through the whole range.
These facts alone to nothing OF the alterations
which have been observed In mere color. lead to
4 suspicion that every star goes through certain
series Of changes In its history, and that we see
in the heavens worlds in all stages Of development
from nebulae without form and void to dead,
cold non-luminous masses like our moon. But In
any one instance this transition must require
millions of years. Whoever seks. therefore. to PEN
citrate further into the mysteries Of creation must
examine with unspeakable eagerness the charac.
teristcs of a newborn star. BY newborn" how
ever, we should understand merely that the star
thus described has only recently become visible.
owing to some change in its condition The matter
composing 1t, without doubt. had existed from the
beginning.
But stars are not born In this every day.
nor every week, nor every month 1t may be safe
to say perhaps that the is not Of yearly
occurrence. One Of the most recent OF these APP
pearances in late years that of 1885, in the
constellation Of Andromeda. But like the which
bazed into view in Scorpla In 1850 the later nova
soon faded into obscurity. The next star OF this
recorded first usually discerned In the
constellation OF Aurga very early in 1892 by
Scotch amateur named Anderson. But when the
sky photographs taken at Cambridge, Mass, were
inspected 1t became apparent that the newcomer
had been cleaning star Of the sixth SEVENTH
magnitude for nearly two months. Following the II
example of its two immediate predecessors, Nova
Aurigae threatened to prove a temporary star; but
after some subsistence In its brightness 1t grew
more distinct, and 1t has received very extensive
spectroscopc examinations. 4'.' III.
The star In Norma found in quite rnsc
different manner from any Of the others Harvard
has astronomical station at Arequipa, Peru, for
photographing those portions OF the heavens not =.
visible in hemisphere, and for thus supple.
menting similar labors at Cambridge The pictures
secured at the former place sent home every
often for scrutiny and Incorporation into the
great chart Of the heavens upon which Professor q
E. C. Pickering, director Of Harvard's stellar re-
searches Is engaged. This gentleman Is not
only experienced sagacous and progressive
astronomer, but also eminent spectroscopist.
Hence part OF the photographs being taken by
his assistants show only stars. and part OF them
star-spectra. With prism placed in front OF the
object glass It Is possible to resolve each star In
the field Of view into tiny ribbon-like rainbow;
and thus as many Of these may be photographed
at there are stars. At Arequipa last sum.
mer. Professor 8. l. Bailey was working in this
manner with the Bache telescope. instrument
with eightfnch aperture. and Of such a focal
length t1fat he able to register upon an Sxlo-
inch plate a region In the sky about ten degrees
square. Upon June 81 he took one picture OF that
portion Of Norma In which the new star lies: but
as the nova had not then appeared 1t Is fortunate
circumstance that this plate not satisfactory
Otherwise he might not have returned to that
neighborhood without special instruction. sec
ond picture, on which hundred spectra were
imprinted with greater less distinctness was
obtained on July TO- This transmitted to CAM
bridge without its special value being recognized
Late in October Mrs. Fleming examining the
spectra on a number OF photographs In the regular
order Of her work; and when she came to this
plate she soon perceived spectrum that did not
belong to any Of the recognized classes. The
photograph was laid aside temporarily; but at a
opportunity charts and catalogues were
consulted II then appeared that no star had ever
been recorded the site of the yielding this
strange spectrum. Hunting further for evidence,
Mrs Fleming referred to photographs of stars and
spectra In that region. thirteen In number. and
taken at different times In the last four years;
and these too. told the same negative story. This
seemed to prove the character OF the star clearly
enough. and when the spectrum which had arrested
Mrs Flemings attention was compared with that
OF Nova Aurigae, behold they correspondent ex.
acty Professor Bailey has been instructed by
soon as the weather will permit; but the beauty,
full and important discovery OF Mrs Fleming, which
is the more interesting from its method. andS which
reflects much credit upon her personally, upon
her sex, upon Harvard and America, may be re-
garded as already established.
At the Astronomical Congress In Chicago several
weeks ago, a paper was read which had been
contributed by Professor W. w. Campbell of the
Lick Observatory. on the spectrum of Nova Art-
gaze. Comparisons were made therein with the
spectra Of five well-known nebulae: and so close
the correspondence between sixteen of the lines
nebulae that he felt warranted in saying that the
new star in Auriga was as much like any of the
nebulae they were like each other Whatever
be the future history then, OF these newborn stars,
the latest word of science regarding them is that
they are in virtually the same condition the
material out OF which, according to La Place. all
worlds made.