Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-20

this element was found in the stars I'm the
constellation Of Orion. AT this time he
lium was an element not 70 be found on
the earth. About a year ago, however,
Professor Ramsay, while at work in his
laboratory, discovered that the earth was
the possessor Of the heavenly helium. This
was a discovery of the greatest import
| ance to astronomy. 1t had been sought
| for many years, and some one wittily re-
marked at the time that Ramsay had at
| last succeeded i'm running helium to
EARTH"
Many other elements, too, there are that
are Of the stars, but not of the earth,
while even our own sun is known, by
means of the spectrum, to contain GER
ain elements not yet found on the earth.
.t is IN search of these that scientific men
ire now engaged. Taking for granted, as
hey do, that the sun and its planets have
mad a common origin, as required by the
"nebular hypothesis" they argue that the
same elements should be found in the
composition Of both; and so the believers
in this hypothesis, with a strict faith in
their own convictions, are ever on the
lookout for the missing elements of the
earth. In all probability, with the un-
finchlng perseverance OF these men OF
science, these elements will eventually,
probably at no far future time, be found.
Scarcely any doubt, they assert, can be
entertained as to the truth of the hypothe-
sis that the sun and all its planets were
originally I'm one nebulous mass; and with
the lapse Of countless ages the greater
mass contracted from its surrounding
vapors and with the final separation
there resulted, ultimately. the system of
the sun and the planets. But the question
might here arise i'm the minds OF those
,f-fr
same elements were found in the earth
that were contained in the sun, how about
the other planets and their spectra? IL is
answered that as all the planets, the earth
included, shine by the reflected light Of the
sun. they necessarily can show no spectra
OF their own, and. therefore, no further
test by this method is possible.
Coming now TO the fourth class Of stars.
1t is found that they are for the most part
OF a reddish color, and are very few in
number. The lines OF these spectra indi-
cate carbon in great quantities. These
stars are all very faint and for that rea-
son Of very difficult nature 10 study. IN
addition to the four well-defined groups,
there are some that will not fit well into
any scheme; these are few, and, Of course
full Of interest, though only to the special
ist
Having disposed OF the stars in their re-
spective classes. there comes into view
another phase Of stellar phenomena which
cannot but be Of intense interest. And
that is whether these myriads Of distant
worlds, among which, we must not forget.
our own sun Is numbered are growing
cooler or warmer. In other, words,
whether they are in a state OF progress
Of decadence; whether the different orbs
that we behold at night cleaning from
their realms OF infinite space are each
passing through the various stages OF
evolution, or whether each class is the
exemplihcation OF a particular and dis
tinct type. The general belief, which has
been aided and partially confirmed by
observation, gives assurance OF the for
mer theory. Professor Lockyer advocates
the view that they were all originally
swarms OF small bodies, or meteors and
eventually compacting and growing hot
ter arrive at last at a climax In the
Srion stars OF the first and hottest or
der-a class which marks not only the
commencement of fall in temperature,
but the conclusion Of a rise. Passing
through this stage, the period OF deca-
dence begins, followed by stages some
what similar to those OF growth, but In
the reverse order. and then. last scene
of all that ends this strange eventful
story" a dark cold body, incapable or
giving light or heat TO other worlds. or
even OF sustaining life upon its own sur
face. The logical conclusion deduced is
that a star must have its birth its pc
Rod OF growth full vigor. degeneration,
and, finally, death.
II this theory Is true, there must be
MANY of those dark, necessarily invisible,
bodies whirling through space. and that
such dark stars actually exist has been
nroyed by the discovery Of visible bodies
whlrling In orbits about an Invisible cen
ire OF attraction-the great dead star OF
the theory-that still holds It's invisible
and relentless sway over 2 system OF
living worlds.