Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-02-16
A MYSTERY OF SPACE.
The Dark Spots or Vast Vacant Places In
the Skies.


The Dark Spots Vast Vacant Places In
the Skies.
Among the more remarkable appear
ances i'll the sky which short focus pho
tographs have revealed, the presence of
dark gaps or vacant places have 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 alb
sorbing bodies in space which hide from
us the background of stars and nebu-
losities. There seem as many difficulties
i'll accepting this view as the correspond
ing one of star streams connected by
nebulous bands. That Opaque bodies
exist in the universe we know. and that
such cbstruct light is evident. but the
theory or suggestion is that these exist
i'll large numbers and of enormous di
mansions, especially in the comparative
" small space which separates the solar
system from the fixed stars. The tots
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 degrees of the sky. One degree
at the distance of Alpha Centauri means
400, 900, 900. 600 of miles at least. while
three degrees mean more than l,000.-
900, 900, 900.
If we believe, then, in dark bodies
extending over even one degree. we be-
licve their extent is about 20 times the
diameter of the orbit Of Neptune. If
they extend three degrees, they are more
than 600 times that orbit. But many
must be several times the distance of
Alpha Centauri. and an average of
these times cannot be considered as ex-
cessiye which results in length 600
times greater than the span of Nep-
tunes orbit. or IS, 900 times that of the
earth. No dark body would visibly OBJ
struct the light of the stars if less than
1000, 900, 900 miles in section. We
have to decide for or against the exist
ence, then, of many hundreds of dark
masses far exceeding the solar system
in bulk-exceeding it in some instances
thousands if not millions of times-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 cannot
assume that the whole of the dark bodies
of the universe are collected in the solar
neighborhood, but must admit them to
be probably rs numerous everywhere in
Z nd q
well as infinitely vaster than the stars
and nebule. The total of the number
and size required to account for the dark
gaps visible upon photographs is beyond
/ computation, but as the balk of single
ones must exceed the contents of globe
the size of the earth's orbit 1000, 900
times it must consist of matter millions
of times less dense than anything we
know and still be millions of times
| greater i'll mass than the sun.
The shapes of these supposed bodies
increase the difficulty. That treelike
forms should be spread over much of
the sky wolld be more astonishing than
anything We have yet discovered, but
the process by which they have reached
/ THIS sHapo II HoTt astouHulHB sui.
They are supposed to DO outrushes or
uprushes of Opaque gas into resisting
medium. But we are not told from
what the out eish can take place, nor is
there any evidence of the existence of a
furnace to produce so much smoke nor
any of resisting medium to receive it
or force to propel it. OF course, while
the theory is only propounded in gen.
eralities, it is more difficult to consider
it than if definite details were formu-
lated English Mechanic.