The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-11-19
NO. 3S.
SIRIUS PROBLEMS.
4 Suggestion as to the Origin OF What
We Call Sunlight.

we Nah
The dark companion of Sirius, dis
| covered by Alvan G. Clark in 1862 with
| the 1S-inch telescope constructed for
the Chicago university, and which has
not been seen since 1890, was rediscov-
cred in the early part of September at
| the Lowell observatory, Flagstaff, A. Y.
The observation was made with the
excellent Clark instrument, constructed
for the use of Mr.. Lowell in the study of
Mars. Owing to the clear air of Ari-
zona, wonderful observations have been
made by the instrument, and the disk of
Mars has been so accurately mapped
that all previous attempts were sur
passed.
Prof. See, one of the members of the
observatory staff, sighted the compan-
ion of Sirius after patient search. The
companion is so near to the great star.
about six seconds of an are, and is so
faint, comparatively, that the blaze OF
the giant sun fills the eye. 1t was, there
fore, necessary to bar out the light of
Sirius by a small screen in the field of
the eyepiece. With this device properly
adjusted, the companion, judged to be
of the 18th magnitude, was observed,
but in n position not expected by the
astronomers who have computed the
orbit.
Sirius and his companion swing about
each other, forming a great system.
The motion has been great enough
since 1859 to get sufficient number Of
position angles for the construction OF
i'm nj orbit 'Tbnca ,hn =
tended the meetings of the Rochester
academy of science when it occupied
room in Reynolds arcade will recolect
that Rev. n. NJ. Mann presented the re-
suits of his computations of the orbit,
with a paper on the Sirian system.
We do not now recall the time of revolu-
ton which was given by him. but we be-
lieve it was longer than was then gem
orally accepted. 1t is discovered by
Prof. See and his coworkers at Flag
fstaff that the companion has fallen so
degrees behind the position which it
should occupy to meet the require
ments of the orbit marked out from the
accepted computations. In falling be-
hind, it has also receded from Sirius.
After the companion was found by
use ofa screen in the eyepiece it could be
easily seen upon the outer border of the
light fringe about Sirius without cov-
ering that star. Observation could be
continued until few minutes before
sunrise.
1t is estimated from the new obserya-
tions that the time of revolution of the
Sirian system is about 50 years, or three
years longer than was originally esti-
mated. The orbit is believed to be
larger than that of Uranus, and may
nearly approach that of Neptune. The
dark companion is about the size Of
our sun, and is but half the size of
, Sirius. The light of Sirius is intense,
and the rejecting surface of his COM
panion is SO vast that the illumination
must be very great. Presumably this
reflected light alone renders the other
wise dark object visible.
1t is idle to speculate about the habit
: ability of the Sirian planet. but there is
plenty of room for a large population.
The body is about SS6,O0O miles in di-
a'neter, and would give globe-trotter!
something to do if they got around be-
:: fore the close of their lives. Sirius and
his dark companion are the most inter-
esting pair within the reach of the tel
escope. No other dark body of such
size as the Sirian planet is known in the
whole universe of stars.
The age of this system cannot be CAL
culated. The time required for the
Siran planet to reach the stage of dark
r ness is beyond computation, because
f men have no data for the problem.
f There is a record stating that the Ro-
t mans called Sirius red AS the names
j Of colors have not materially changed
g in the 1000 years since the record was
@ made, it is quite probable that the color
/, of Sirius has changed from red to blush
J, white. That is, Sirius is incandescent,
4 a condition that shows life-giving
: energy if we gauge the light of Sirius
Il by that of our sun. Perhaps Sirius was
+ red because his giant globe was sur
d rounded by vapors that have now sub,
e sided, permitting us to see the light,
covering or photosphere. This suppo
( sition conflicts somewhat with the the
e cries of the spectroscopists, as they con
l. clude that the red stars are in the
It spotted stage, and are fading into dark
Il ness. Sirius has passed from red to the
d blush white, reversing the order.
t. Nobody yet knows the cause of sun
|. light, and it may yet be found that it !!
the result of intcraction between world.
:. that are linked together like the SUI
-, and its planets, or Sirius and his planet
y If the astronomical records of the pres
W. ent day are carefully preserved, man
-, - kind may have some data with which t,
.k attack these problems two or three cen
~ turies hence. If white stars fade to re-
~, or red stars blaze with white light, j
= will be known that there is something
II more than the processes of heating an
cooling to be accounted for-Rocheste
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