The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-02

OF srdNltaJlOn. LDat unique law OS means
OF which astronomers have been enabled
to reduce TO perfect order the seeming
tangle of planetary evolutions. The law
really amounts, in effect TO this: All OBJ
jects suspended within the vacancy OF
space attract or pull one another. How
they can do this without a visible con-
Meeting link between them Is a mystery
which may always remain unsolved. But
mystery as it is, we must accept ii as an
ascertained fact. II is this pull of gravi-
tation that holds together the sun and
planets, forcing them all 20 follow out
their due and proper pains, and so TO con-
tinue throughout an unbroken cycle until
the great survivor. Time, shall be no
more
Why should not this same gravitational
attraction to be at work among the Plei-
AIDES? II it is, We must suppose that they
too. like ourselves. have bounds and or
bits set and interviewer, revolutions and
gyrations far more complex than the So
lar system knows. The visual discovery
of such motion OF rotation among the
Pleiades may be called one of the press
ing problems OF astronomy today. We
feel sure that the time is ripe, and that
the discovery is actually being made at
the present moment. for a generation OF
men is not too great period 20 call a
moment, when we have to deal with cos
mic time
1t is indeed the lack of observations ex-
tending through sufficient centuries that
stays our hand from grasping the coveted
result. The Pleiades care so far from US
hot ha ,zf cha
them. Magnitudes are Always relative. It
matters not how large the actual move
ments may IF they are extremely small
in comparison with our distance. they
must shrink to nothingness in our eyes.
Trembling on the verge of invlsibility.
elusive, they are in that border land yhere
science as yet but feels her way. though
certain that the way is there.
The foundations Of exact modern know
ledge Of the group were laid by Bessel
about 1870. With the modesty character
istic of the great, he says quite simply
that he has made a number Of measures,
Of the Pleiades, thinking that the time
may come when astronomers viii be able
70 find some evidence OF motion. In this
unassuming way he prefaces what Is still
the classic model OF precision and thor
oughness in work OF this kind. Bessel
cleared the ground for Study Of the In
terstellar motion within the close star
clusters: and it Is probable that only by
such study may we hope to demonstrate
the universally OF the law OF gravitation
In cosmic space.
Bessers acuteness in forecasting the d.
rection Of coming research was Amply
verified by the work Of Elkin In 1855 AZ
Yale College Provided with modern in
strument. but similar 20 Bessers, Elk.n
was able 70 repeat his observa atoms with
a slight increase Of precision. Motions In
the interval Of forty-five years. sufficient
~ great 20 hint at coming possibilities,
were shown conclusively 70 exist. SIX
stars at all events have been fairly ex-
Guided from the group on account y
their peculiar motions shown By Elkin' e
research. II IS possible that they are
merely seen IN the background through
the lnterstices OF the cluster itseif. or
they may be suspended between Va and
the Pleiades. ia either case having no
real connection with the group Finally.
these observations make Il reasonably
certain thar many Of the remaining mass
ton in space. Astronomers Of coming
generation viii again repeat the Besse'-
fen work a present we have been able
70 Use his method only.for the separation
from ths true Pleiades IL chance stars
that happen 20 lie IA the same direction.
Let us hope that man shall exist lorE
enough % zee the clustered stars them
selves begin and cary out such gyratigns
az gravity imposes
These wll doubtless ps - a kind rot
even suggested b. the iesser c3nDiexf-
tbs q our solar system For The uaast
wonderful thing q a. about the Pl@ia8es
s>eras % point 90 al infricary Of street
IRE whosa details are destined 70 shake
the confidence 4 TIE pr9founSavf natb-
eruaficsa1- There s. - extra0ra lslarv
re3ulogs cundensatioH tfzt seems = per-