Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-10-07
Qdg 81. is7BY0 n
FACTS OF A COLLISION y-a
IN THE HEAVENS.
nv GARRETT p. sERyIss

BY GAHhEII 4. hNlSS.
An event Of enormous Importance In the
foSality where 1t occurred took place some
thing over a year ago at point In space
situated at an unknown distance from the
earth, but included within the boundaries
of the constellation known to astronomers
as Aquila. 1t was no less an event than
the creation of new nebufa, from which,
in the fullness of time, a new world may
come forth.
Information of this amazing occurrence
was first obtained at the Harvard College
observatory from an inspection OF photo
graphic plates exposed to the starry sky
between April and October 1899.
On April 81 of that year a new star
made its appearance ON one of the plates.
OF the seventh magnitude, 1t glowed with
fiery brilliance among the fainter stars of
Aquila, which formed its nearest neigh
bors.. Gradually 1t faded, until in October
1t was of only the tenth magnitude. Dur
ing the Summer photographs OF its spec
trum were obtained showing that it pos
sessed the characteristic spectral lines
which are found in other stars. But in
October the photographs had another
story to tell. They proclaimed that the
stranger had changed its nature-that 1t
was no longer star, but had become a
nebulat
During the past summer the fact of
this wonderful change was confirmed and
established by telescope observation, Pro-
fessor Wendell being able, with the
fifteen-inch equatorial telescope, to detect
the monochromatic or nebuous character
of the light shed by the new phenomenon
While this is not the first observation of
the kind, yet such changes are so infre-
quent in the heavens that whenever one
occurs it excites renewed wonder and
speculation.
What happened in the depths of space to
cause a bright new light suddenly to make
its appearance among a multitude of we'll
known unchanging stars, and why did the
uminary thus unexpectedly created en-
tirely alter Its character within a few
months, fading from a star into nebula :.
An answer can be given-in fact, has
previously been given in a few similar
cases-which al least accounts for what
was seen. A tremendous collision took
place in the open heavens. Two. or pos
sibly more, solid non-lunlinous bodies,
gigantic meteors or swarms OF meteors.
elashed together with such spees ana fury
that their substance was melted and
vaporized. and from the heated mass thus
formed blazed forth the radiance Of a
star, or sun. streaming across space and
picturing itself brilliantly on the photo
graphic plates that We're recording the
light waves which issued steadily from the
thousands Of changeless orbs In the midst
of which it had appeared.
This was only the first effect of the col
nsion or series of collisions. In short
time. as the heat became more intense, the
entire mass OF the eoliiding bodies was
transferred into an expanding cloud of
gases and vapors. and when this had oc-
Cured the light shed ceased to be suniike
or starlike, the spectral lines. which had
until then proclaimed the continued ex-
istence of solid or lieuid matter in the
interior of the wreck. faded away, and
only the soft glimmer of nebula re-
manned.
Here is a story of creation the exact OPP
posite of that ordinarily told by the
changes going on In the heavens. There
are many nebulae which give evidence
that they are cendensing and shaping
themselves into stars, but out in Aauila
lust the reverse process has taken place.
Bodies which may have been as large as
the earth. or even larger. came together
with planetary velocity. and. the laws Of
phvsics holding good. their arrested mo-
tin was transformed into heat so in
ee that they burst into flery cloud.
is interesting TO reflect that In this
nner the universe mag be able to renew