The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-31
DARK SPOTS IN. THE SKY.
Attempts of Scientists to Account fc
Them-Various Theories.

Attempts of Scientists to Account for
Them-Various Theories.
Among the more remarkable appearall-
ces i'll the sky which short-focus photo
graphs have revealed, the presence of
dark gaps or vacant places has been
much commented upon, end one of our
most eminent scientists has formulated
the theory that the gaps are nae r al,
but result from the presence of liga.'
labsorbing bodies in space which hide from
Ius the background of stars and nebuloS,-
ties. There seem as many difficulties in
accepting this view as the corresponding
one of tar-streamS connected by nebulous
lbands. That Opaque bodies exist in the
universe we know; but the theory or suy-
gestiou is that these exist in large mum
lbcrS and of enormous dimensions, especial
Ily 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 to be
noorrr than the nearest fixed star, and
some extend over several degrees of the
sky On degree at the distance of Alpha
Ccutuuri means 100000, 100000 of miles
at least. while three degrees mean more
than 1O00,000,OO0
If we believe. then, in dark bodies eX-
TENDING over one degree, we believe their
extent is about times the diameter Of the
orbit of Neptune. If they extend three
degrees. they are more than 200 times
| that orbit But many must be several
times the distance of Alpha Centauri, and
an average of these times canOnt be con
| sidered as excessive which results in
length GOO times greater than the span of
| Neptune's orbit, or $4,000 times that of
the earth. No dark spot would visibly
obstruct the light of the stars if less than
| l 900. 100000 miles in section. We have
| to decide for or against the existence,
then. of many hundreds of dark masses
far exceeding the solar system i'll bulk
exceeding it, in some Instances thousands,
if not millions. of times-and all lying be-
tween us and the system of the stars.
The visible heavens have nothing in com
parisOn with the vast bulk of the total
invisible bodies, for we cannot assume
that the whole IF the dark bodies of the
universe are collected in the solar neigh
borhOOd. but must adnIit them to he
probably as numerous everywhere III
space, and. therefore more numerous, as
we'll as infinitely more vast, than the stars
and nebulae.
The total of the number and size re-
ouired to account for the dark gaps yis
BILE upon photographs is beyond ccmputa
ton; but as the bulk of single ones must
exceed the contents of n glJJe the size
of the earth's orbit 2,000,0C0 times, 49, !
must consist of matter miiiions OF t!mcs
less dense than anything we know, and
still be millions of times greater In mass
than the sun. The shapes of these sup
posed bodies increase the difficulty. That
tree-ike forms should be spread over
much of the SKY would he more astOnsb-
ing than anything that W. have yet .r-
covered. hut the process 10y which they
have reached this shape is more aStOnDj-
ing still. They are Supposed to be ou;-
rushcs or uprushes of Opaque gas into a
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 reproduce so much smoke
nor of any resisting medium to receive IT,
or force TO propcl it. OF course, while the
theory is only propoundai in gcneralities:
it is more difficult to consider it than i
definite details were formulated EnSish
Mechanic.