Evening star., 1901-07-19
STELLAR DISTANCES.
Scientific SugBestiOns That Indicate
the 1mmeRsity Of Universe.
from

Scientific SugBestiOns That Indicate
the ImmeRsity of Universe.
From the Atlantic Monthly.
1t Is well known that the nearest Of the
fixed stars Is Alpha Centauri, the brilliant
southern binary, which is removed from US
21o,OOO times farther than the sun. One OF
the next nearest stars Is Sirius, which Is
about 10000 times the suns distance.
These distances correspond to the spaces
traversed by ray OF light in four and
eight years, and hence We see these two
brilliant stars as they shone four and eight
years ago. respectively. The smallest angu-
lar magnitude which can be certainly
measured in the greatest modern telescope
and this corresponds to the paralax of
star at distance of sixty light years. or
the angle subtended by a human hair. as
sumed to have diameter Of one-thous-
Hence 1t follows that all stars removed
from us by more than sixty light years
have paraiiaxes too small to be detected
even by the most refined methods Of mod
efh research, and we can at best merely
guess at their distances. AS the near star.
Alpha Centaurf, Is only four light years
distant. while some of the known stars are
fifteen times as remote 1t seems probable
that all those stars which have a measur-
abie parailax are very close to us. COM
pared with the distances of the more re-
mote objects: If we suppose the average
star to be fifteen times as remote those
objects having the smallest measurable
parallax the average distance would be
about 300 light years. AS this estimated
distance Is probably foe small. seems
moved from US by more than 1000 light
years. or 23O times the distance Of Alpha
centauri. We may, reckon that in all
ten times more distant from US than the
nearest portion OF the galaxy. and hence
that our telescopes probably penetrate re-
gfoas lying 50 remote that light from the
less than 10000 years What we see in
these border regions OF the universe is not
the events now tranSpiring there. but phe-
nomena as they were 10000 years ago. or
berore the beginning sof human history.
The rays that reach our eye from differ,
ent portions OF the sky thus started in diff
ferent ages. and may be said to disclose
dlHerent phases of the, development OF the
universe; those from the more remote re-
glons representing anciept. those from the
nearer portions more modern cosmical his
tory. Even If all the creation began at the
same time and progressed uniforH,ly our
view or 1t would be altered by the time re-
qulred for the propagation of light across
the immense spaces by which we are re-
moved from other portions of the universe.
And as all the stars probably did not be-
gin to develop at the same time It is nat
ural that we should see all stages OF world
oeveiopment now going on In the heavens
Is worthy OF remark that II we Inn
aglne a sufficiently powerful sensitive and
perfect set Of eyes placed in cluster Of
the Milky Way. at a distance of $500
light years, and directed toward the earth.
the ethereal throbs falling upon them
would reveal history as 1t was 5000 years
ago; and II these eyes should move toward
the earth they would witness all human
history as IT was enacted through the
successive centuries. Thus the nature OF
terrestrial events is forever preserved and
transmitted on through the ether of inf
Mite space.