The record-union., 1895-03-23
DARK SPOTS IN THE SKY.
Attempts of Scientists to Account for
Them UDon Various Theories.


Among the more remarkable appear
ances In the sky which the short focus
photographs have revealed, the presence
OF dark gaps or vacant places has been
much commented upon, and one OF our
most eminent scientists has formulated
the theory that the gaps are not real,
but result from the presence of light
absorbing bodies in space which hide
from us the background of stars and
nebulositieS. There seem as many dill
cuitles IN accepting this view as the cor
responding one of star-streamS connected
by nebulous bands, says an English
journal. That opaque bodies exist in the
universe we know, and that such OBJ
struct light is evident; but the theory or
suggestion is that these exist in large
numbers and of enormous dimensions,
especially in the comparatively small
| space which separates the solar system
| from the fixed stars. The total bulk of
these supposed dark bodies would be
enormous, since they can scarcely be
supposed nearer than the nearest fixed
star, and some extend over several de-
grees OF the sky. one degree at the dis
lance OF Alpha Centauri means 400, ,0O0-
O0O,OOO of miles at least, while three de-
grees mean more than 1000. 100000.
Ii we believe, then, in dark bodies eX-
tending over even one degree we believe
their extent is about seventy times the
diameter of the orbit OF Neptune. Ii they
extend three degrees, they are more than
200 times that orbit. But many must be
several times the distance of Alpha Gem
taurl, and an average of these times can
not be considered as excessive which re-
suits in a length 600 times greater than
the span of Neptunes orbit, or $4,000
times that of the earth. No dark body
would vlsibly Obstruct the light of the
stars if less than 200, 900 miles in sec
ton. We have TO decide for or against
the existence, then, OF many hundreds of
dark masses far exceeding the solar sys-
tenn in bulk-ex ceeding it, in some in
stances, thousands, If not millions, of
tlmes-and all lying between us and the
| system of the stars. The visible heavens
become nothing in comparison with the
vast bulk OF the total Of invisible bodies,
| for we can not assume that the whole of
| the dark bodies of the universe are col
| Iected in the solar neigbborhood, but
must admit them to be probably as nu-
merous everywhere IN space, and there
! tore moro numerous, as we'll as infinitely
| vaster, than the stars and the nebulSe.
| The total of the number and size re-
! quIred to account for the dark gaps Visi-
| BILE upon photographs is beyond COM
putation; but as the bulk of single
! ones must exceed the contents OF globe
/ the size Of the earth's orbit 1000, 900
/ times, 1t must consist of matter millions
| of times less dense than anything we
know, and still be millions OF times
greater in mass than the sun. The shapes
! of these supposed bodies increase tho
/ difficulty. That tree-like forms should be
spread over much of the sky would be
more astonishing than anything we have
| yet discovered, but the process by which
| they have reached this shape is more
astonishing still. They are supposed to
! be outrushes or uprushes of opaque gas
! into resisting medium. But we are not
told from what the outrush can take
/ place, nor is there any evidence of the
! existence OF furnace to produce so much
smoke, nor any Of a resisting medium to
! receive it, or force to propel it. OF course,
while the theory is only propounded in
generalties, it is more difficult to con-
slider it than if definite details were for
mulaled.